Project Motherhood: Cerebella
by Gamer95
Summary: Cerebella discovers a small child living alone in the garbage one day and takes him home to raise him with love. Will this boy be the key to her realizing the Medici's true colours? Will contain a surprise second mother later. CoWriter: SkorchNTorch
1. Chapter 1

Cerebella walked down the lane, humming the happy theme that would play at the beginning of every show of her beloved home, Cirque de Carte, as she did so. Her living weapon Vice-Versa gently swayed back and forth on the crown of her head in time with the beat. Why was she so happy you may ask? She was currently on her way to see Vitale Medici, her favorite person in the whole world, and for all intents and purposes her adoptive father. His health had been somewhat questionable lately, apparently due in large part to the rampant cigar usage his family and their employees engaged in, but through their vast wealth (and unknown to Cerebella, some highly questionable methods) they'd recently obtained a magic gem known as the Life Gem, which possessed the power to restore health, vitality, and heal all manner of injury.

'I'm so glad him and his entire family are going to live such long and healthy lives.' Cerebella thought to herself as she came within view of the headquarters of the Medici Family. 'After all they've done for the circus and all our customers who enjoy the show, and all the bad and jealous people they've had to deal with trying to take their stuff, if anyone deserves to live well, it's them.' She mentally continued, blissfully unaware that the 'bad' people trying to take 'their' stuff may have had more justification than not, and that the true face of the Medici Family was something much more sinister than she believed.

As she was about to speed up on the home stretch to her destination however, she heard a faint whimpering and a clatter of metal coming from a nearby alley. Being the happy-go-lucky girl she was, Cerebella naturally decided to have a quick look. "Hello there!" She curiously called into the alley, being answered with another clatter of metal, this time louder and more sudden, clearly coming from a nearby garbage can. Deciding to play coy, Cerebella strolled into the alley and looked around in an exaggerated manner. "Gee, I wonder where that noise is coming from?" She hummed in faux-uncertainty as she knocked on a few unmoving garbage cans, all the while making her way to the one that was shaking. "Maybe it's in...here!" She declared playfully as she yanked the lid off the oddly noisy garbage can, only for her expression to quickly shift into one of concern. An understandable response, considering what she saw.

A tiny, black-haired boy... No... A black-haired baby was sitting in the garbage, slowly picking at an apple core. When the lid came off, mixed with Cerebella's voice, he looked up in shock and gasped when he saw someone looking down at him. He had been seen!

Cerebella and the boy stared at each other in shock for a few moments before the young woman reached down and carefully grabbed the boy under his armpits, picking him up carefully. "Well...You're definitely no raccoon, are ya, little guy?" She said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Awha?" The boy stammered, a mixture of fear, weakness and hunger clear in his voice. On the one hand, Cerebella thought his voice was the cutest thing she had ever heard. On the other hand... what was he doing out here?

"You've never seen a raccoon? Aw, that's too bad. They're cute, like you."

Harry looked at her with a tilted head and let out a confused "Hmm...?" Cerebella chuckled, then looked up at Vice-Versa, who was carrying a small bag of peanuts she had been planning to eat. Catching on, the hat handed her the bag, and she took one out and held it out to the boy. "Here, little guy. You definitely need these more than I do." Harry looked at the peanuts, somewhat confused, then looked back up at Cerebella and shook his head. "Oh, are you allergic?" The skull girl asked, not wanting to make the tiny boy sick.

"I can't have normal food." Harry said quietly.

Cerebella blinked at that, her frown deepening. "Can't have normal food? Why's that? Some kind of medical condition or something?"

"No...I'm just too freaky to eat people food..."

Cerebella was taken aback by what the small boy said. She looked him up and down, trying to understand why he would say something like that.

"Freaky? Kid, you're just a tiny little thing!" She insisted, smiling her best down at him to lift his spirits. "And very cute I might add."

Harry's little face turned red as he looked away. "I...I can't be cute...I'm...I'm a freak...Just a freak..." Cerebella found her temper beginning to flare. Who put that in this boy's head?! She frowned and pulled the boy close, feeling how cold he was. She rubbed his back and rested his head against her chest. She had so many questions... but then something occurred to her.

"My name's Cerebella." She introduced herself. "What's yours?" Harry mumbled something into her chest, relishing in the warmth that was the woman's body. Cerebella chuckled. "Sorry, didn't quite catch that."

"Freak...My name's freak..." Cerebella frowned and lifted his chin up so he looked into her eyes. The boy seemed nervous as he was trembling in the woman's arms. "H...Harry... m'am..."

Cerebella smirked slightly. "That's better." She messed with the little boy's hair playfully. "Can't let a stranger in the tent, but you're not a stranger now that I know what your name is." She winked and Harry giggled softly. "Now, c'mon...have a peanut. You're a little bonerack." Harry still seemed apprehensive, so Cerebella thought of an idea. "Say 'Ah' Harry." Said instructed kindly.

"Ahh..." Harry did as he was asked, but was confused as to why she would ask him to do this. His eyes widened in surprise as he was suddenly fed a few peanuts.

He chewed them for a moment, letting out a soft hum as he quickly found that he liked the taste quite a bit. Cerebella grinned. "Pretty good, right? We sell the best peanuts you'll ever find!" She winked.

"Thank you..." He mumbled. Cerebella giggled and held him closer again, trying to warm him up.

"So little cutie, what are you doing out here all by yourself?" She asked, rocking him back and forth, trying to seem as calming as possible.

"I...I had to leave..." He mumbled. "I was really scared..." THAT sent alarm bells off in Cerebella's head. She looked down at the boy with great concern.

"Huh...? Had to leave where? What scared you so bad that you had to run away from home?" Harry tensed up in her arms, and she frowned worriedly. "Kid?" Harry didn't respond, but began to sniff slightly, tears welling up in his eyes. Cerebella held him up in front of her and smiled. "Hey, don't be sad!" She smiled at him, but then noticed that he wasn't going to stop, he desperately needed to cry. Cerebella held him close again. "Let it all out."

He buried his face into her chest and let out a soft whimper, sobbing softly into the young woman's embrace. He was trying to pull himself together...He didn't want to cry for too long...

Against all odds, little Harry managed to stop his tears relatively quickly. Now he rested his head into the kind woman's shoulder.

"Thank you Miss Cerebella..." He murmured.

Cerebella had a huge smile on her face as she cooed and patted the small boy's head. He had been so wronged... and if she was to believe what she she assumed Harry had been implying... she shook her head, not wanting to focus on it just now. "So you don't have anywhere to stay, huh, little guy?" She asked gently, prompting Harry to shake his head. She smirked. "Weeeell...How do ya feel about the circus?"

"The...The circus...?" Harry asked. "M-My aunt and uncle took my cousin there a lot...I never got to go though..."

"Awww..." Cerebella sighed. "Well, how'd you like to go stay later at one for awhile? I'll be there as well."

"R...really?!" Harry exclaimed, his eyes widening. This woman was offering to take him home with her, and she was so nice! No... it had to be a lie...

Cerebella noticed the expression on his face and frowned. "I'm not trying to pull a fast one on you, little guy. Really. I just wanna help you. Will you let me help you?"

Harry was scared. On the one hand, why would anyone want to help a freak like him? What if she was just going to hurt him? But on the other hand, he was desperate, starving, and this woman had been nice to him...

"M'kay..." he mumbled.

Cerebella gave the boy a warm grin. "There ya go, kiddo, that's the spirit. I promise you, nothing's gonna happen to you while I'm around."

The young woman felt amazing about herself right now, reaching out and helping this child in need. She couldn't help but wonder if this is how Vitale felt when he helped her...

Vitale! She HAD to introduce Harry to her father figure!

She smiled down at the boy, who didn't seem to notice, as he had fallen asleep in her arms. Cerebella giggled lightly but did her best not to wake him. Vitale was gonna love Harry! Cerebella's maternal instincts had overwhelmed her the very instant she saw Harry. She was the type to wear her heart on her sleeve and help anyone she could, and seeing this boy in so much need of help...It broke her heart, yet filled her with a fiery will to protect him and make his life better. She then noticed him whimper slightly in his sleep before he snapped awake with a gasp.

"I didn't mean to sleep!" He esclaimed, frantically squirming about in Cerebella's arms, seeming to forget where he was.

"Harry! Calm down!" Cerebella exclaimed, shocked by his sudden outburst. "You're safe, you're with me." He looked around wildly before it all came back to him, and he relaxed slightly into the woman's embrace. "There...Ya see? I gotcha. You're all right now."

Harry took a few deep breaths and looked down at the ground.

"I'm sorry..." He mumbled, and was surprised when he was hugged once again.

"Don't worry kiddo, you were tired, it's only fair you'd be sleepy. You can go back to sleep if you'd like."

Harry shook his little head, signifying he had no desire to go back to sleep. "Um...I had a scary dream...Don't really wanna sleep right now...if that's okay..."

"Alright, that's just fine." Cerebella smiled. Then noticed Harry was looking at her, clearly confused.

"Uh, Miss Cerebella? What are you wearing?" He finally asked.

"Oh! Silly me, this is Vice-Versa. He's..."

"A hat?" Harry asked.

Cerebella grinned and nodded her head. "Yep, Vice-Versa is a very special hat, as you can see!" Harry looked up at the muscular arms of the hat.

"D-Did I do something to your hat? Did...Did I make it all muscly...? I'm sorry...It was an accident..." Cerebella blinked, then looked up at Vice-Versa, who shrugged.

"Um...No, Vice-Versa has always been like this."

"Oh... okay." Harry sighed, seemingly relieved. "Um... Why is it like that?"

"Well, Vice-Versa has some magical properties to it and-" Cerebella began but stopped when she heard Harry gasp. "What's wrong?"

"You..you can't say that word!" Harry stammered, turning sheet-white.

Cerebella raised a brow at that. "What word? Magic?" Harry winced again, and Cerebella tilted her head before catching on. "Oooh...You come from a place that doesn't like magic... Well..." she wanted to encourage Harry, telling him that magic was alright, and that people used it and similar alternatives all the time, but she could tell right now, Harry needed comforting, so she simply hugged him again. She then got an idea. Looking up at Vice-Versa, she gave it a wink, and it flashed a thumbs up in response. "Hey, how about I show ya that Vice-Versa's good, huh?" Harry blinked, then squeaked when Cerebella placed him in Vice-Versa's massive hands. The hat then begun to spin around with the boy in a playful manner. He yelped in fear at first, but quickly began to enjoy himself and began giggling as the hat spun him around, taking care not to go too fast.

After a bit, the hat gently handed Harry back to Cerebella, who laughed at his tiny smile.

"I get the feeling you enjoyed that." She remarked.

"It was fun!" Harry giggled.

"That's good to hear." The woman smiled down at the small boy. She pressed her lips against his forehead gently, and the boy's eyes widened at the unexpected display of affection. Cerebella pulled away, leaving behind a green lipstick mark on the boy's forehead.

"Wh..what was that?" Harry asked surprised, making Cerebella's jaw drop.

"You mean... you've never been kissed before?" She asked, but then quickly remembered what Harry had said, and realized he sadly probably hadn't.

"N..,no. I was told I was too freakish for them..."

Cerebella tilted her head to the side. "Ah, I see. So if I give you some more, that'll be enough to convince you you're not a freak." She said with a wink. Harry was going to say something, but was cut off by Cerebella kissing him again, giggling at his bewildered expression, then kissing him again. By the time she stopped, her lipstick had covered the boy's entire face with green lipmarks. She pressed her forehead against his. "So there. You're not a freak."

"Re...Really?" He still asked, as if this was a new concept to him.

"Really." Cerebella confirmed with a smile. The woman held her forehead against his, enjoying the feeling of holding the boy.

She hugged him close to her bosom and gently nuzzled the top of his head with her cheek. "It's gonna be okay, little guy...I've got you now." She whispered softly.

Of all the people she'd entertained, the children would always hold a special place in her heart... They were always so bright and innocent, and seeing their smiling faces brought her joy. And this little boy, he was desperate for love, so starved for affection, and so pure... it hurt Cerebella to her core at the sight of Harry's current state, but it also gave her a sense of hope when she saw how happy he was snuggled into her arms.

She gave the boy a warm smile and another kiss on the top of his head, before a fiery determination filled her very being. She was going to protect him...And she was going to love him with all her heart! Harry had snuggled against her chest and let out a tiny yawn. In a matter of moments, he had dropped off to sleep. Cerebella smiled down at the sleeping boy, now unconsciously sucking his thumb.

'Oh, come on, how CUTE is that?!' She mentally squealed in delight. She smiled brightly and rocked him back and forth in her arms, humming a soft tune to the boy to keep him asleep as she made her way to where Vitale's office was.

Eventually, Cerebella reached Vitale's office. She gently shook Harry awake, and he groaned slightly before looking up at her. "All right, hun. You're about to meet someone very special to me. He's very nice. He wouldn't hurt a-"

"I'LL RIP OUT YOUR VITAL ORGANS AND SELL THEM ON THE BLACK MARKET, YOU USELESS LUMPS! UNBELIEVABLE! WE FINALLY HAD IT AND NOW IT'S GONE BECAUSE YOU IDIOTS CAN'T DO YOUR JOB PROPERLY! YOU BETTER FIND THAT DAMN GEM OR SO HELP ME I WILL RUIN YOU, DO YOU HEAR ME?! YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY WILL BE BLOWN AWAY!" A loud, booming voice sounded from the other side of the door.

Cerebella winced. Okay, so her boss sometimes lost his temper and yelled stuff he didn't mean... But he was still a very good man, just...stressed out.

She was pulled from her musing when she felt the tiny bundle of love in her arms trembling violently. Looking down with wide eyes, she saw him sitting with a haunted look in his eyes.

"No, please don't, I'm sorry, don't hit me, I didn't mean it, please, please, please..." Gradually, the boy stopped speaking altogetger and began to hyperventilate.

Vitale's yelling had caused him to have a PTSD induced panic attack. Cerebella quickly set to trying to comfort the small boy in her arms. She whispered into is ear, trying to soothe him with comforting hugs.

"It's okay, it's okay." She said calmly.

"He..he...he...he's like my...my...my...uncl..." Harry stammered, terrified before cutting himself off. Cerebella's eyes widened as he realized what Harry was implying.

"Your uncle...? Oh...So your uncle yelled at you a lot, did he?" She asked gently, moving a lock of hair out of his eyes and giving him a sad look. Harry nodded, and he looked like he was considering saying more, but ultimately decided not to. Cerebella sighed and adjusted him in her arms so she could look him in the eyes.

"I promise my friend is nothing like that. He's a kind and caring man, he just gets... stressed somewhat at times." She looked at him and saw his worried expression. She gave him a smirk and kissed his nose. "C'mon...Just remember that I'm right here." It seemed to take everything he had, but Harry nodded, looking up at the kind woman's smile. He wanted to smile back, but he just couldn't... not that Cerebella blamed him mind you.

Cerebella waited for the yelling to stop, holding Harry so that one ear was pressed against her chest and the other was covered by her hand. Finally, she seized the opportunity and knocked on the door.

"...Enter..." Vitale's voice grumbled from the other side of the door. Cerebella pushed the door open to find her father figure sitting at his desk, along with Ottomo and Black Dahlia, both looking annoyed at something.

Vitale, after years of experience, knew how to act around Cerebella to keep her putty in his hands. Changing to a somewhat softer facial expression, he opened his mouth to say something, but fell silent when he noticed the boy.

"Cerebella...What is the meaning of this?" He asked.

Cerebella blinked at her father figure, then looked back down at Harry. "Um...Well, I'll explain, but...Vitale, you sounded really upset there...What happened?" Vitale sighed and rubbed his temples.

"The life gem...It has been stolen from us, and now there is no telling where it could possibly be..." Cerebella frowned deeply at that, someone had taken the life gem?! But that meant... her frown turned to shock as she realized the implications. She'd have to do anything she could to help recover it.

"Cerebella, who is the boy?" Vitale asked again, his tone softer this time.

Cerebella looked down at Harry, who winced slightly. "His...His name is Harry...I...I found him out on the street and I couldn't just leave him there."

Vitale donned a thoughtful expression before leaning forward. "I see... That does seem to be in character for you... And what, pray tell, is his story?"

Cerebella frowned again, a somewhat awkward expression on her face. "That's... kinda personal right now." She admitted. "He'd prefer not to say too much."

Vitale decided not to press deeper. Right now, finding the stone was more important. If Cerebella wanted to play babysitter, so be it.

"Seriously, though, Vitale, I'm sorry about the stone... Who took it?"

"A gang of lowlives that call themselves the Fishbone Gang." Dahlia cut in. "The security team handled them. I assure you, they've been sent to the proper authorities."

"Well, that's good." Cerebella sighed. "Anything I can do to help?"

"No, not really." Vitale shook his head. "If anything comes up we'll let you know though."

Cerebella nodded her head. "Right, good to know. But Vitale, I really do wanna take Harry to live at the circus with me... He has nowhere else to go. Is it okay?"

Vitale eyed the boy. Small, frail, but every child had potential to be of some use to him. "Hmm...Very well." He nodded. "I'll allow this." Cerebella's mouth formed into a toothy grin. "Tell me, m'boy... Are you willing to do a little bit of work and learn the tools of the trade of the circus?" Harry looked down, a bad feeling welling up in his tummy.

"I...I did a lot of work for my aunt and uncle...It was hard, but I still got it done..."

"Working at the circus can be quite fun, dear boy. We won't make you do anything too difficult."

"Okay then." Harry nodded, still seeming quite shy.

"Well then, I suppose we have a new addition to the family." Vitale remarked, making Cerebella smile widely.

"Aww, thanks, Vitale! You won't regret this!" The young woman said gratefully, giving her father figure a tight hug that made him wince in pain.

"Yes, yes, yes, now please run along, Cerebella. This is a very important meeting, you know."

"Okay! See you later!" Cerebella said happily, leaving with Harry still in her arms.

The three still in the room watched as the green-haired woman left, Ottomo raising a brow slightly as he locked over to Vitale. Part of him felt inclined to ask why he was going along with this, but he also knew better than to question Vitale's choices. Add to that the fact that honestly, sooner or later they would probably end up having a kid show up wanting to "Run away and join the circus" and would end up joining them, but most pressingly, the gem still needed to be found.

"Ottomo." Vitale finally said after a few moment's silence. "I have job for you."

"You got it boss." The salamander said, agreeing to whatever it was Vialte needed him to do. This wasn't a time to make him angry.

"Dredge the riverbed where Dahlia dumped the remains of those damned Fishbones. Find any hints you can to find out where the life gem is. Contact our connections in Little Innsmouth and the River King Casino to find out where they hid it. Anything to find that gem."

"You got it." The mech nodded. "Anything else?"

"Keep an eye on Cerebella." Vitale added. "Don't make a big deal of it, and remember that stone is more important than anything right now. The Skull Heart will be re-appearing soon, and we need to be ready."

He turned to Dahlia. "I want you to be ready to fight the Skullgirl, Dahlia." Dahlia smirked.

"With pleasure." She purred. "But what of the boy?"

"Make no fuss about it. Later down the line, the boy may make good muscle. Anyone who lives in Cirque de Carte always ends up working for the Medicis in some capacity later down the line anyway. One more child will not change much."

The two nodded, both in understanding and agreement. Most women would have an issue with what they're agreeing to do, but Dahlia wasn't like most women.

"And if it comes up, try and find a thing or two about the boy's family. If we end up blackmailing them or killing them, it may help show the boy that there's... benefits to sticking with us." Vitale added, a slight smirk forming on his face.

Cerebella happily walked through the grounds, trying to figure out what she needed to do first. Harry was looking around in wide eyed wonder at everything around him.

Cerebella chuckled at the way the boy reacted to his surroundings. "Yeah...I remember my first time coming here...It was unlike anything I'd ever seen."

"It's so pretty." Harry replied, looking over her shoulder at everything around him, Cerebella patted his back, still trying to seem like a comforting presence.

"I think you're gonna really like it here Harry!" Cerebella sing-songed as she twirled around, earning a tiny giggle from the small boy. She looked over at the tent with a smile. "See that big tent over there? That's our showroom. Let's see if the rest of the family's in there, yeah?"

"Are...are they nice?" Harry stammered nervously.

"They're super nice!" Cerebella smiled. "You're gonna love them!"

Well, that was mostly true. Cerebella was a little nervous as to how they'd all react, but she assumed it'd be okay. The first one to meet up with them was Feng, who was just stepping out of the tent, when she saw her roommate and grinned widely. "Cerebella! Hi!" Before Cerebella could reply, her friend saw the tiny boy in her arms and gasped audibly. Her eyes sparkling at the sight. "Awww! Who's this little cutie?!"

Cerebella grinned proudly at Feng. "THIS little guy here is Harry! I'm gonna be taking care of him from now on! Harry, this is Feng, my best friend!" Harry timidly looked up, then gave a tiny wave.

"Hi miss Feng." He said, his voice tiny. Feng's smile just widened.

Cerebella chuckled. "Yeah, he's a little on the shy side, but hey...That's just part of his charm." Harry squeaked in slight embarrassment and buried his face into her chest.

"He's so cute! Where'd he come from?" Fern asked, the question making Cerbella's Smile disappear.

"That's kind of a touchy subject. Short version is... I found him in less than ideal conditions." She explained.

Feng's smile vanished as well, and she looked down slightly. "Ooooh... Um...I see... Sorry about that, didn't mean to bring up any bad memories..."

"It's okay Miss Feng." Harry said, now looking up at her, his emerald eyes seeming to show wonder as he looked up at the new woman. Cerebella smiled at the interaction between the two. She expected she'd need to help Harry warm up to the others, but he at least seemed to have started.

Feng perked right back up when Harry addressed her. "Awwww, Bella! Can I hold him?! Pleeeeeease?!" Cerebella put on an expression of mock thought.

"Hmm...I dunno...He's AWFUL cuddly..."

"I am?" Harry asked, surprised by the compliment.

"Your SUPER cuddly!" Cerebella cooed, nuzzling the top of his head playfully. After seeing Feng's frown, she smiled and slowly handed him over.

He let out a soft, barely audible whine at leaving Cerebella's grasp, and he looked up at the face of the new woman holding him. "Hi..." He squeaked. Feng had to hold back a deafening squeal of delight as she hugged Harry close, resting her cheek atop his tiny head.

"Oh...my...GOSH! You are so...freaking...TINY! RRRRGH! You're so widdle I'm gonna die!" Harry looked at her in complete and utter horror.

"N-No, don't die! I don't wanna kill anyone!" He pleaded in a panic, expecting the woman to keel over on the ground at any given moment.

"Awww! Your widdle voice is so cute!" Feng continued cooing over Harry, now cradling him like a baby. "Ooh, I just wanna eat you up!"

Harry was still terrified that he had done something wrong, and Feng seemed to notice his fear. She winced. "Uh...I think I did it wrong..." She said sheepishly before handing him back to Cerebella, who looked at her with a rather flat expression.

The greenette took the boy back into her embrace and hugged him gently, nuzzling her cheek against the top of his head. "No worries, little pal... She's not gonna die."

"M' sorry. I didn't mean to hurt her." Harry mumbled, genuinely believing Feng was going to die. Cerebella found it both adorable and somewhat disheartening.

"You didn't kiddo, don't worry." She smiled down at him.

"But she said she was gonna die because I was too small... I'm really dangerous if I can kill people just by being around them..." He said timidly.

"It's just an expression, little guy, that's all. Feng's still standin' strong, see?" Harry turned to see Feng sheepishly wave her hand at him.

"Oh. Okay." Harry finally said. "I'm stupid, I get it." The two women frowned at that and both tried to comfort him.

"Hey, don't talk like that okay?" Cerebella said kindly. "You're not stupid, your just a little guy."

"I'm sorry..." Harry mumbled, and Cerebella frowned at his complete and utter lack of self esteem and rocked him back and forth gently.

"Kid...C'mon, you need to try and like yourself a little more. You're a really likeable little guy, you know. You're nice, polite and really freaking cute."

"I am?" Harry asked, making Cerebella realize just how much this kid seemed to have had his worthlessness beaten into him, more literally than she realized. Feng smiled and kissed his forehead.

"Yup!" She smiled.

Harry squeaked in surprise at Feng's unexpected intervention, and Cerebella smirked. "Think you just jumpscared the little guy, Feng." Feng seemed to frown somewhat, seeming to understand that Harry wasn't used to this.

"Sorry little guy, I just wanted you to know how cute you are." She said. "Okay...Thank you..." The boy whimpered out softly. Cerebella sighed softly. She had her work cut out for her... Well, for the time being, he needed to meet the others.

Cerebella thought over who she should introduce Harry to next. He had met Vitale, and the two seemed to get along fine, Feng clearly liked him.

"Why hello there, ladies." Cerebella and Feng both grimaced at the sound of the lustful voice.

Cerebella frowned slightly as she turned around, she wasn't sure how THIS interaction was going to end, but she could hope for the best.

"Hi Taliesin." She said simply. "What are you up to?"

"Well, I WAS going to practice my performance, but since you're here, there are other activities I wouldn't mind doing, if you know what I mean..."

"You are such a CREEP!" Feng whined.

"And yet you..." he began but stopped, genuinely surprised when he saw Harry in Cerebella's arms. "Well, who might this be?" The man leaned down and eyed Harry with a critical eye. "Hmm... Not much to look at now, but some day, he just may be worth adding..." He ceased his mumbling when Vice-Versa grabbed him by the throat and held him right up to Cerebella's snarling face.

"Don't. Even. Think. About. It." She said with more fury than was probably expected. Feng watched in surprise and in a little bit of shock.

Taliesin grinned under his mask. "My, my, awfully bold of you to stand up to me on the boy's behalf. But then, women are always so mindlessly loving of children. Rather humourous if you ask me." Vice-Versa grabbed him again, and one hand made a fist.

"Not yet Versa." Cerebella said flatly. As much as she wanted to, she didn't want to frighten Harry more than he proabably already was. Indeed, the boy had his face buried into her chest, clinging tightly to her dress as he whimpered softly. The masked man was scary... Really really scary. Cerebella scowled deeper as she felt Harry's body tense up once again. She didn't say anything, but simply pushed Taliesin out of the way and kept walking. Feng flipped him off and followed.

Cerebella looked down at the trembling boy and patted his head. "It's okay, buddy... Talliesin's a huge jerk. Almost no one likes him." She said with a wink. While it didn't stop his trembling completely, it did seem to reassure him somewhat, he looked up at Cerebella, who smiled back at him.

"I...okay." He mumbled.

Cerebella sighed, the meeting with Tallesin going about as bad as she had expected... She was interrupted from her thoughts when she bumped into something. Looking up, she saw a mountain of pure muscle, and smiled. "Hubrecht! How ya doin', big guy?!" Hubrecht slowly turned around when he heard his name called and smiled down at Cerebella.

"Aw, Cerebella!" He smiled, then seemed to notice Harry. "Who's your new friend?"

Harry squeaked and made himself as small as possible in Cerebella's arms, much to her amusement. "Ah, this is Harry. He's gonna be living with me and Feng."

"Ah, hello there little Harry." Hubrecht said looking down at the tiny boy. After a few moments, Harry looked up at the large man.

"H...hi." Harry finally said.

Hubrecht grinned widely. "Hi to you too! Welcome to the circus! Hope you like it so far! Have you tried the cotton candy?! It's so good!"

"Hubrecht, did you eat all the cotton candy again?" Cerebella asked, rolling her eyes when she noticed the pink cotton on the bulky man's face.

"Haha! Yes!" Hubrecht replied happily. Harry let a small smile form, the big purple man seemed nice like Cerebella. He reached down and patted Harry's head with his huge hand. "Don't worry little guy, they're probably making more right now." He reassured Harry.

"Oh, okay, that's good. Then all the people watching can have some too." Humbrecht laughed.

"I always forget the audience likes cotton candy too! How funny is that?!" Harry let a tiny giggle escape. He wasn't sure how or why it was funny, but he couldn't help but let a giggle out. Cerebella sighed in relief at how much better this was going compared to the first meeting with Taliesin. It was no surprise though. Hubrecht was a loveable giant and Taliesin was a dirtbag.

Someone else called the giant and he headed off to help with something. Feng decided to head off and help as well. Cerebella smiled down at Harry and patted his head.

"I take it you like Hubrecht, huh kid?" She asked with a smile.

Harry nodded his head. "He's nice... And he's funny too..." Cerebella chuckled. Then, she encountered the troupe's designated leader, the ever strict and cold Regina, disciplining one of her lions. Cerebella was more worried about Regina than the lions, especially considering the latter were literally grovelling at their mistress's feet.

"Uh...H-Hey, Regina! Um...How ya doing?" Cerebella called out nervously. Regina turned to face her with an impassive expression that quickly shifted to confusion.

"Cerebella." She greeted rather curtly with a nod. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of meeting...erm...this young man?" She gestured to Harry.

"Well... this is Harry." Cerebella replied, a bit more awkwardly than she intended. "He's going to be staying with us."

Regina raised a brow questioningly but eventually gave Harry a kind, albeit small, smile. "Hello there Harry." She said with a slight wave.

"Hi, Miss Regina... I like your big kitties..." Harry said shyly. Regina blinked, then looked over at her lions, who all gave nervous, toothy grins.

"Yes well... they can be prideful, but they can also be quite... frustrating." She sighed, casting a glance over her shoulder at the two lions, who seemed to shrink back in fear.

"They're pretty. I like their hair." Harry said softly. One of the lions looked at the boy with a slightly tilted head, letting out what could only be described as a curious growl. Regina's stoic and somewhat stern face changed to a gentler smile as she looked down at Harry again.

"Well I think they appreciate that Harry." She said.

Harry smiled softly, looking down shyly. "I like kitties..." He mumbled softly. "They're fluffy... And it makes me happy when they purr..." Regina smiled at the small boy, then looked up at Cerebella.

"How's he liking it here so far?" She asked.

"Well, Humbrecht was fine around him, Tallesin..." Cerebella began but trailed off, and Regina understood.

"I'll be sure to have words with him." Regina assured, causing a shiver to run down Taliesin's spine, even though he was on the other side of the tent. Cerebella smirked.

"Whip gonna be involved?" Regina simply nodded in response. "Good. I've been getting really sick of that creep, he needs to be knocked down a few pegs."

"Yes, it's about time someone has done so, especially with a child around, he can't keep acting the way he does." Regina muttered. Harry for his part, was confused by what was going on but was still too nervous to ask.

"Well, anyway, I still have one person left to introduce him to..." Cerebella sighed. "And hopefully it goes over well...Have you seen Beatrix, Regina?"

"I believe she's practicing her routine in her bedroom." Regina replied. "Interrupt her at your own peril." Cerebella chuckled and walked off, thinking Regina was kidding. She wasn't.

As Cerebella opened the door to Beatrix's room, the "Hey Beatrix" greeting she was about to begin with was cut off by full-throated shouting.

"DAMN IT CEREBELLA! WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT COMING IN HERE WHEN I'M PRACTICING!?"

Harry buried his face into Cerebella's chest, now terrified beyond words.

Cerebella, for her part, had to move her head to avoid getting a knife through the brain. She gave her co-worker a nervous grin. "Uuuuh... Not to do it...?"

"Exactly! And yet every single time, you..." Her voice trailed off when she sighted the little boy in Cerebella's arms. "...What the..." She approached slowly, leaning down and giving the boy a critical gaze. "And who might this be?" She asked questioningly. Harry, however, was on the verge of tears, but also knew what would happen if he cried, what always happened if he cried. Only alone with Miss Cerebella... He would hold it in until then... Cerebella seemed to notice and did her best to comfort him.

"Hey, don't worry, Harry, this is just Beatrix. She's a bit of a loudmouth, but she won't hurt ya. I promise you that." She gave the boy a smile and a wink.

"Hmm, yeah, sure." Beatrix waved off what Cerebella said. She was gazing at him intently, clearly interested in something. Cerebella grew rather weirded out.

"Um... Trix?" Cerebella asked, then squeaked in shock when Beatrix suddenly snatched Harry out of her arms and continued examining him up and down, a stoic yet thoughtful look on her face.

Harry froze up as soon as he left Cerebella's arms, going as stiff as a board and staring forward with wide eyes. Beatrix studied him carefully. "Wow...Unbelievable..."

"Uh...Hello?!" Snapped a rather irritated Cerebella. "At least ask for permission before you snatch him away!" Vice-Versa reached over and removed Harry from Beatrix's hold before placing him back in Cerebella's arms.

"Right, right right..." Beatrix muttered with a slight wave of her hand. "It's just... Cerebella, I think there's more to this little boy than you understand."

Cerebella raised a brow before looking back at Harry. "More to him than I understand? He pretty much just looks like your average little kid to me. I mean, he's a little small, but..."

"Oh just shut it, all right?! I mean he has magic, like me!" Beatrix snapped. Harry visibly cringed at the word 'magic'. "Kid, tell me what you can do with your magic."

"I...I...I..." Harry began stammering, the fear of 'magic' and of this new woman completely overtaking him. He felt like he was going to break down crying again, but he was still afraid of what would happen to him if he did...

Luckily for him, Cerebella came to his defense. "Give it a rest, would ya?! Can't you see you're freaking him out?!" Beatrix snorted in response and ignored her.

"C'mon, kid, spill the beans. How does it work? Let's hear it!" Harry whimpered, feeling very threatened. He felt trapped, as if there was no way out of it. Eventually, the fear became too much and he burst into tears, burying his face into Cerebella's shoulder and crying loudly. Cerebella looked at him in great concern, then narrowed her eyes at Beatrix, who scoffed at the sight. "Oh, gimme a break, kid! You're seriously gonna start crying over-OOGH!"

Beatrix found herself doubling over with her hands clutching her gut as Cerebella pulled her fist back. In her rage, she hadn't even bothered using Vice-Versa. "Leave...him...ALONE, Beatrix. He doesn't have to tell you ANYTHING, so just can it!"

Beatrix was taken aback by Cerebella's anger, she hadn't seen Cere this angry... well, ever. She was pulled from those thoughts, however, when Harry finally burst out the things his magic had done in an effort to avoid punishment. "I make things float! I change things colours! I make my owies go away really fast! I sometimes end up in places without trying! I...I...Don't hurt me, please, please, please..." Cerebella tightened her hold on him, bouncing him in her arms, as Beatrix scowled.

"That's the makings of a great wizard... Cerebella! It would be a waste for a potential magical prodigy to be raised by a weight lifting bimbo like you! Hand him over here! I will turn him into something great!"

"Beatrix...You're kidding me right now, aren't you? You scared him to freaking tears, and you expect me to give him up to you? Someone he's afraid of?"

"He'll learn to stop fearing me! He'll have to, Cerebella! Give him here, now!" Cerebella gritted her teeth and snarled.

"Harry's not going with you, Beatrix! I'm I'm looking after him, NOT you!" The two women glared at each other, showing no sign of backing down. Beatrix looked at Harry.

"Kid, trust me. Just come with me and you'll learn everything there is to know about your magic. Why live with that oblivious smiling brute when you can stay with someone who can teach you everything you need?" Still crying, Harry pressed himself even further into Cerebella. "Oh for the love of-Come HERE, you little-" Beatrix made a move to snatch Harry away, but Vice-Versa abruptly raised it's hand and shoved her away. "You have no idea what he's capable of!" Beatrix shouted, her anger rising. "He could change the world! He could be the most powerful magic user in existence! You couldn't possibly train him let alone raise him!"

Now Cerebella felt nothing but absolute fury. She and Beatrix didn't always (if ever) get along, but this... this was different, she felt hate, and she hated herself for it, and she hated having to expose Harry to this.

"I'd be a WAY better parent than you. Beatrix! You don't have a single nice bone in your entire body! All you do is pick on everyone else and threaten them with your damn knives! You couldn't raise a kid! You'd probably end up killing it!"

"Please stop..." Harry mumbled, too quietly to be heard over the two arguing.

"At least I'd be able to raise him not to be weak! You'd just raise him to be a spoiled brat who couldn't defend himself!" Beatrix shot back.

"Oh yeah?! Well you'd raise him to be a stuck-up, arrogant, snotty bitch like you!" Cerebella snapped back, to which Beatrix snarled angrily.

"If you raise him, he'll grow up without a single ounce of brainpower! He'll be a brainless, asskissing sheep with no agenda that mindlessly does whatever the hell he's told because of some stupid parent complex! JUST! LIKE! YOU!"

That was enough for Cerebella, she handed Harry to Vice-Versa and stepped forward, slamming the door behind her. Harry looked up at Vice-Versa, clearly frightened.

Vice-Versa looked back down at the boy, wincing slightly, before carefully placing his hands over his ears. Harry looked down at the ground, nervously.

Vice-Versa heard everything that was going on. The two girls were screaming at each other and there was a clear commotion in the room that went on for what felt like hours, before eventually, the door was thrown open. Both girls were covered in scrapes, Cerebella moreso because Beatrix had used her knives, and their hair was a complete mess. Both were scowling in rage.

"Typical Cerebella! Always thinking with her damn fists! Never uses that pea sized brain in her head!" Cerebella turned and glared coldly.

"You'd be a terrible mom, Beatrix. You can't even treat your co-workers with common human decency. You'd abuse any kid that ended up with you because you just don't have a decent bone in your body. I'd NEVER trust Harry with someone like you. Now stay the hell out of our way, you miserable BITCH." Cerebella all but spat the last word.

Storming out of the room, Beatrix slammed the door once again leaving Cerebella breathing heavily and angrily. She looked over and saw how frightened Harry looked. Immediately, the anger in her body evaporated as she hurried over and took Harry back into her arms and began rocking him back and forth, talking soothingly to him.

"There, there sweetie, there, there. I'm here now, I won't let anyone hurt you..." She cooed, feeling Harry shivering in her arms. She sighed deeply and kissed him on the forehead, doing her best to soothe him.

"You were yelling... It's my fault." He mumbled, being so used to being blamed for everything, he believed this was no different.

Cerebella shook her head and nuzzled his cheek. "No, buddy... It's not your fault at all. See, Beatrix never liked me very much... Can't really tell ya why, but she's always been sure to let me know. That's pretty much just the way it's always been... So don't blame yourself. She's the one that tried to bully us."

"O-Okay..." The boy whimpered, nuzzling in closer to his newfound caregiver, who smiled softly and moved a stray lock from his hair, before wincing at the feeling of grease.

"Yeesh... You really need a bath, little guy..."

"I've never had one..." Harry replied timidy, and Cerebella smiled sadly down at him.

"I can tell..." she sighed, shaking her head slightly. The two headed over to a tent where a bath was located, Feng ran alongside, catching up to her friend.

"Hey, you two okay?" She asked.

Cerebella sighed softly and looked back at her friend. "Weeeell, I went to introduce him to Beatrix... It didn't go well. C'mon, let's head back to our room. We need to get this kid washed up and fed."

"Ooh! Ooh! I'll make some soup for him while you wash him up!" Feng said with a large smile. Cerebella gave her roommate a toothy grin and a thumbs up.

"Sounds good to me, Feng. Thanks a lot."

"Thank you Miss Feng." Harry said, looking up at the woman, who gave a wide smile down at Harry.

"You're welcome cutie!" She smiled, before heading off to make Harry something to eat while Cerebella carried Harry into the bathroom.

On the way there, however, they encountered a distraction. They heard a soft meow, and Cerebella smiled at the feeling of something brushing against and weaving through her legs.

A small black cat made itself known, upon seeing its owner. It jumped up onto a chair, then onto a desk, then hopped its way up onto Vice-Versa's bicep.

"Kitty?" Harry said in a way that made Cerebella want to squeal in delight at how cute it sounded. The cat looked down and saw the small boy and meowed curiously.

Cerebella reached up and scratched her pet under the chin gently. "Heh...Yeah, little guy, he's my cat. His name's Kitty. I'm not too good with names." Harry slowly reached his tiny hand up to the cat, who leaned forward and gave it a sniff before nuzzling his head against it affectionately.

Harry slowly stroked the cat's fur, making it purr contently. Cerebella smiled at the interaction. It was clear her cat had a new friend. "Good to know we got another little cat lover in here." Cerebella said with a wink. "They're awesome little pets to have around, aren't they?"

Harry nodded. "M-My babysitter had kitties... Lots of kitties... They were nice... Kinda grumpy sometimes, but...they always let me pet them..." Kitty meowed happily and nuzzled closer to Harry, making the small boy giggle.

"Well, I think it's safe to say that kitty doesn't mind being pet by you one bit." Cerebella commented. Then she remembered their initial purpose for coming here in the first place. "Oh yeah, you need a bath. Heh... You're quite the distraction, aren'tcha, Kitty?" She petted her pet's head.

The cat meowed and seemed to settle down on Vice-Versa's head as they continued to where Harry would be cleaned up. Cerebella smiled as she entered another room, ready to clean Harry up.

She approached the tub and turned on the water, watching as the tub filled up. Kitty quickly fled the second he saw the tub filling, thinking he was the one that would be bathing. Cerebella chuckled at Harry's disappointment. "No worries, kiddo. He doesn't like water. Okay, how's the temperature?" She gently took his hand and set it in the water, frowning as she saw him visibly flinch before relaxing.

"It doesn't burn..." He said softly. Cerebella nodded.

"I'd never burn you, Harry..." She said softly. "Okay, so it's good?" Harry nodded. "Awesome. Let's just get you in there..." Her voice trailed off as she removed the boy's shirt.

He was covered in scars and wounds, some were deeper than others, and some still seemed fresh. Dried blood coated his tiny frame, and on top of it all, it was clear he hadn't eaten well... proabably ever.

"I...I..." Cerebella stammered. "Who did this to you?"

Harry looked down, feeling deep shame when Cerebella asked him that question. He was extremely hesitant to answer, but there was really no getting out of it. "M-My...My uncle..."

Cerebella said nothing. She turned around and slowly walked towards a nearby wall. Then, with a yell of rage, she punched a hole clean through the wall, without the help of Vice-Versa.

She felt the anger still flowing through her, she was so furious she almost felt numb from it. How could Harry's own FAMILY do this to him?! Actually, scratch that, Cerebella didn't care as much as she did about the fact that they DID. They abused this tiny, innocent angel and to such an extent that he ran off to live in the trash...

The thought of it triggered her temper again, and she pounded the wall with her other fist, creating a large crack that ran up almost the entirety of the wall. She felt her body trembling with rage...only for her rage to melt away when she heard Harry whimpering.

Slowly, she turned around and saw the little boy covering his eyes and shying away from her, almost as if he was trying to hide from her... Cerebella moved forward to try and comfort him, but Harry just shrunk back, trying to seem as small as possible.

'Damn it Cere, look what you've done...' Cerebella mentally cursed herself. The greenette took a deep breath and raised her hands placatingly. "Harry, look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It just...makes me mad that anyone would do this to you..." She sighed softly. "I shouldn't have flown off the handle like that, little guy... Sheesh, we've just been scaring you all day, haven't we? Vitale, Feng, Talliesin, Beatrix... and now me..." She sighed once more. "Yeah, sorry things have been so crazy today, kiddo..."

Harry looked up at her, whimpering softly, before slowly raising up his tiny arms towards Cerebella. "H-Hug...?" He asked softly.

"Of course." Cerebella smiled, wrapping her arms around the tiny boy and hugging him tenderly. She nuzzled the top of his tiny head with her cheek as she swayed back and forth, doing her best to reassure Harry that all was okay. "I promise you, Harry... As long as you're here, no one will ever hurt you... I won't allow it." She whispered softly in his ear. "D'you understand?" She smiled when she felt the boy nod into her chest. "Good... Now let's get you cleaned up, all right?"

Setting the boy in the tub, she carefully began scrubbing at his tiny body, trying her best to clean off all traces of dirt without hurting him.

She shampooed his greasy hair, she rubbed him down with a loofah, she rinsed him off, and then she patted his head. "There we go, is that better?"

Harry looked up and nodded, it was clear to Cerebella that without his glasses, the poor boy was practically blind. She began humming a gentle tune that Harry seemed to enjoy, he swayed gently in the warm water as the woman continued cleaning him up. Scrubbing away the dirt and... sadly Cerebella had to assume blood from his tiny frame. She did her best not to show her sadness, anger or disgust as she saw the scars on Harry's body, no doubt put there by his own family... But still, Harry had her now, and she would take EXTRA good care of him!

Soon enough, Harry's body was completely dirt free. Smirking, Cerebella pulled him out of the tub. Vice-Versa helpfully handed a towel over to her.

She carefully wrapped the boy up in the towel, carefully drying him off. She held him up to eye level. He looked extremely cute with his tiny little face peeking out from the fluffy towel.

Smiling softly, Cerebella hugged him gently against her bosom, watching with amusement as he snuggled in closer. He was like a tiny, cuddly cocccoon.

"There's a cute little guy." She said playfully, poking his nose, Harry blushed at the kindness and then yawned audibly, seeming to be drifting in and out of sleep. "Awww, is someone sweepy?" Said asked playfully.

"N...no." Harry mumbled out, clearly losing the fight with sleep. "I'm awake... I can work..."'

"Try and stay awake for a few minutes more Harry, we've got some food to put in your little belly."

As if to emphasize the point, she poked his tiny stomach with her pointer finger, prompting him to let out a soft, tired giggle that melted her heart.

Stepping out of the bathroom, she called out to her roommate. "Yo, Feng! Is the food nearly done?! Kid needs to eat so he can take a nap!"

"Yeah, just about done! I just wanted to make sure I did it right!" Cerebella rolled her eyes. Feng and her cooking... Smiling, she took a seat on the sofa.

She smiled playfully at the bundle in her arms, resting his head against her chest so he be comfortable. Cerebella thought he looked adorable... but was also way too skinny... there was barely any meat on his bones, and his stomach was almost concave... well. She was going to fix that!

As if on cue, Feng appeared with a steaming bowl and a huge smile on her face.

She handed the bowl over to Cerebella, who took it with a grateful smile. "Heh... Thanks, Feng..." She said quietly before grabbing the spoon and blowing gently on the soup.

"Thank you." Harry parroted his caretaker before she placed a spoonful of soup in his mouth. The expression on his face caused Feng to stick her nose up pridefully.

"Ha! Ya see, it's always better to take your time when you're cooking! That's the only way your food will come out tasting good!" Cerebella grumbled at the subtle jab at her lackluster cooking skills.

The two girls looked at Barry's wide-eyed face as he tasted the soup and though it was adorable. He seemed to be savouring every bit of it before almost unknowingly opening his mouth as if asking for more. Cerebella smiled and happily scooped another spoonful and placed it gently in his tiny mouth.

She fed the boy the entire bowl of soup, feeling immense satisfaction from seeing him eat his meal. Finally, they were on the first step to getting some meat on those little bones!

When the soup was gone, Feng was quick to grab the bowl. "Want some more, Harry? I made lots of it!" Harry opened his mouth to reply, but ended up yawning instead.

Cerebella chuckled. "I think the little guy would rather take a nap for now, Feng. I'm gonna go take him up to my bed, yeah? Be right back."

Feng nodded and took the dishes away while Cerebella rested Harry's head on her shoulder. The boy seemed to be growing sleepier and sleepier as she made her way to her room. By the time she reached it, Harry was nearly asleep. Smiling, Cerebella gently lifted the blanket on her bed and tucked Harry under it, pulling it up to his chin as his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep.

The greenette knew she told Feng she'd be back, but... she didn't want to leave her boy's bedside. She took a kneeling position and gently cupped his cheek with her hand.

Oh my goodness he was adorable. It wasn't fair how adorable he was... He was such a tiny little thing, and so cuddly as well... How could anyone hurt him?

Then her mind drifted back to what she had seen beneath that shirt and she found her temper flaring again. "I...am gonna make those bastards PAY..."

As if on cue, Harry whimpered and began tossing and turning in his sleep. Cerebella blinked, then her eyes widened as she realized what was happpening. Gently but quickly she took Harry's tiny hand in her own and held it reassuringly, when that didn't seem to do the trick she began humming a gentle tune quietly to the little boy, which seemed to drastically calm him down as the tiny snoring returned.

She smiled softly and tenderly at the boy. Leaning over, she pressed her lips against his cheek, allowing them to linger for a few moments before pulling away.

"I'm so glad I found you..." She whispered softly into his ear. "I'm not sure exactly what they did to you... But I'm here to protect you now..."

Harry let out a soft coo in his sleep and rolled over, now facing her. Then, he spoke softly through his dreams. "Love you...miss Bella..."

Cerebella felt like her heart was going to explode. She surpressed a happy squeal and coated Harry's tiny sleeping face in kisses.

"I love you too, baby." She whispered.

Cerebella remained by Harry's side for a good long while, a new feeling swelling up in her chest. It was a odd sense of warmth, unlike any other kind she had felt before.

She gently stroked Harry's cheek. She felt like...like a mother tending to her child... Was... Was this how Vitale felt when he found her for the first time...?

If only she knew...

She then remembered she had left her friend hanging. "Uh-oh, better get back down there..." She gently messed with Harry's hair. "Sleep tight, buddy."

Quickly and quietly leaving, Harry was now in a state of absolute bliss. For the first time in forever, he had a happy dream of a kind, green-haired woman giving him hugs, caring for him, feeding him, everything he so desperately wanted for so long but was denied. Harry didn't think things could get any better...

He was going to be proven wrong though, very, VERY wrong...


	2. Chapter 2

Cerebella and Feng sat in front of their TV in comfortable silence. Cerebella had tried to convince her friend to watch a scary film, but relented when Feng threatened to break her horror CDs while she slept.

So the two just sat through whatever happened to be on at the moment, Cerebella boredly turning channels on the remote and Feng resting her hand on her cheek.

"Much as I love my days off...they're sooooo boring sometimes!" Feng whined. Cerebella just nodded, not really feeling up to giving a verbal response. "Then again... I guess today was a pretty good day off for you." Feng continued, and Cerebella's smile widened. Her thoughts drifted to the bundle of sweetness upstairs, sleeping peacefully... she was so happy she had found him, that she had saved him. He wasn't going anywhere, and he wasn't going to be hurt. Ever again.

She looked back at the TV and donned a thoughtful expression. "I wonder what kinds of movies he'd like..." She mused. "Probably some kiddy stuff, yeah?"

"Oh totally. No creepy horror movies for him, you hear me? Those will haunt him for the rest of his life!" Cerebella rolled her eyes with a light smirk.

"Gimme a break, Feng. I can't help it if a little scary stuff makes you wet the bed at night." Feng punched her in the shoulder, and she laughed it off.

"Hey, the kid seemed terrified enough by the people he's gonna be living with, don't give him more to be afraid of." Feng said plainly, and Cerebella had to concede that her friend had a point.

"Yeah, you're right." She grumbled. "And Beatrix... man, what's wrong with her?! She starts rambling about how he's some powerful magic user and then tries to take him!"

"Well, have you considered that Beatrix May be right?" Feng replied.

"What?"

"Trix is a lot of things." Feng explained. "A manipulator, an egomaniac, a narcissist, a stuck up bit-"

Cerebella clapped a hand over her mouth. "Careful what ya say, Feng, you know how she loves to show up and give me grief. Don't wanna her to overhear you badmouthing her, do ya?"

Feng snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. "C'mon, Bella, I'm not afraid of her! I think I'm strong enough now to take her in a fight!"

Cerebella gave her a flat look. "Really? You wanna take that chance after what happened last time you picked a fight with her? That was the second time you got covered in elephant poop." Feng sighed and lowered her head, remembering the incident... it had taken FOREVER for her to finally start smelling normal again...

"Don't tell Harry about that." She suddenly said crossly, Cerebella smiled in response. "I'm serious!"

"Look, what was your point, about Trix being right?" Cerebella asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Well, when it comes to magic, she's actually pretty smart." Feng reasoned. "And while I wouldn't be surprised if she lied about almost anything else, I don't see her as someone who'd lie about her magical prowess. Namely because it's so much stronger compared to us."

Cerebella snorted. "Please, she's not stronger than me just 'cause she has some fancy magic! I manhandled her last time we fought each other!"

"And she sent you flying through three brick walls the time before that. You two are pretty much equal, y'know, ever since she started actually using magic..."

"Please, I'll bet it's not even magic. She's a magician, would you put it past her to use a bunch of fancy stage tricks?" Cerebella reclined on the couch. "Even if she was magic though, she's not allowed anywhere near Harry."

"And do you think she's going to just listen to you?" Feng continued, trying to get a point across to her friend. Cerebella paused, thinking over what her friend said.

"What? No... what would she..." Cerebella trailed off then shook her head, her hair bouncing slightly. "Even if she tries anything, I'll make her regret it."

"You're already acting like a mom." Feng smiled.

Cerebella shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "Well, I'm pretty much a mom now, might as well act the part." She reasoned. Feng put a hand to her mouth and snickered.

"You're such a softie." She said in amusement. Cerebella turned to her friend with a glare and a pout, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I am not a softie! I just have a conscience, that's all!" Feng patted Cerebella's shoulder.

"Being a softie isn't a bad thing y'know."

"Yeah, and I think Harry needs all the softness he can get right now." Cerebella sighed. "He's been through too much for someone his age." Feng nodded in agreement.

"Poor little baby... Just ditching him like that... how could they do that to him?!" Feng grumbled, leaning forward.

"It doesn't matter why. They did." Cerebella said matter-of-factly. "And more importantly, what matters is he's mine now."

Feng grinned and hugged her friend. "Aww, Bella, that's so sweet!" Cerebella smirked and patted her friend's head gently, feeling a sense of pride.

"Ah, c'mon, Feng, you're making me blush here." The greenette replied somewhat sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head with Vice-Versa.

"Hey, d'you think he's awake yet? It's been a couple hours and it's almost suppertime." Feng reasoned. Cerebella looked over at the stairs and decided to check. Making hey way upstairs, she slowly opened her door and looked into the room with a smile. She saw Harry turning slightly in his sleep, making the weight lifter sigh deeply. She had a feeling this was going to happen sooner or later, not even if she ended up keeping him, but the next time poor Harry fell asleep, he was going to be plagued by these nightmares. Slowly she sat herself on her bed and gently shook the boy's tiny frame.

"Harry? Harry can you hear me? It's not real. What you're seeing isn't real."

Harry suddenly bolted upright, white as a sheet and looked around in a panic. He recognized a familiar voice, but without his glasses had a hard time seeing anything. Cerebella carefully grabbed the boy's glasses off the nightstand and placed them on his face, causing him to immediately calm down when he saw who it was.

"M-Miss Bella...?" He asked timidly. Cerebella gave him a small smile before wordlessly pulling him into an embrace, offering all the comfort she could to the small boy.

"That's right, little guy, Miss Bella's here..." She said softly. "Ya have a bad dream?" She felt Harry nod against her shoulder. "Ya wanna talk about it?"

"Um... I... I was all alone, and it was cold." Harry began, clearly scared. "And then I was falling, and then I was back with my family... and they hurt me. You weren't there and... and..." Harry's voice hitched and Cerebella gently let out a 'shh' to calm him.

"It's okay, I'm here now." She said reassuringly. "You don't ever have to go back there, you're gonna stay with me now. I'll take good care of you, I promise."

Slowly lifting him out of the bed, she took a seat and hugged him tightly against her bosom, stroking his hair gently to let him know that here, he was cared for and cherished.

He was so light... It was unbelievable just how little this child weighed... Cerebella planted a kiss on top of his head, and the little coo she got from the act assured her that he was calming down.

She slowly rose to her feet, stepping out the door of her bedroom and carrying him downstairs. "C'mon, little guy, come spend some time with me and Feng."

"Okay." Harry replied, content in Cerbella's arms. The weight lifter made Hey way back downstairs and took a seat next to her roommate, placing Harry on her lap.

"Hi baby, didja sleep well?" Feng asked, smiling down at Harry, and frowned when she saw his somewhat upset look on his face. "Awww... did you have a bad dream?" Harry nodded his head slowly. Feng reached over and gently patted his head. "Well, y'know what always cheers me up when I have a bad dream? A snack." She rose. "Lemme go see if we have anything to munch on..."

Cerebella smiled after her friend, then looked down at Harry and rubbed his back. "Y'see? People care about ya here, little guy... Oh, hey, Kitty." The cat in question hopped up onto the couch with a meow and approached his master before noticing Harry was there and taking interest in him instead.

"Hi Kitty." Harry said timidly. The cat meowed in response and sat itself on his lap. Harry slowly began to scratch the cat behind it's ears, earning a happy purr in response, along with Kitty's head rubbing up against his hand. Cerebella's smile widened as she watched her two favourite cuties interact.

"Aww, looks like Kitty has a new best friend!" She cooed, making Harry giggle as she gently poked his side playfully. Harry smiled up at his caregiver and leaned into the contact. Humourously enough, he himself was acting somewhat catlike himself when given affection. Cerebella was half expecting him to start purring like Kitty.

Feng returned not long after, holding a box of cookies in her arms. "Hey, guys, let's finish off these cookies, sound good?" She asked before setting the box down on the table. Harry looked at them, then his demeanour turned to one of sadness, both girls noticed and Feng lifted his chin up. "Hey sweetie, what's wrong?" She asked kindly. "You don't like cookies?"

"I'm not allowed to have them..." Harry mumbled in response. "I'm too freaky for normal people food." Feng's jaw seemed to hit the ground as she looked up at her roommate, her face was one of sorrow and a mild sense of anger. The weight lifter simply gave her a look, saying 'We'll talk later.'

Cerebella gently grabbed Harry's chin and tilted his head up to look at her. "C'mon, kid, we've been over this. You're not a freak. You're just a normal, everyday kid."

"I...I..." Harry stuttered, trying to find his voice but failing utterly. Cerebella sighed and kissed the top of his head gently to offer her support.

"Just forget what your old 'family' taught you. It's wrong, okay? All of it is just wrong. There's nothing freaky about you. Not even one thing." There was a bit of a pause, then Harry finally nodded.

"If you say so." He mumbled.

"I do." Cerebella said matter-of-factly. "Now open up, you're gonna LOVE these!" Harry wanted to protest, but he did as he was asked, Cerebella smiled and picked up a cookie, gently putting it in his mouth and letting him bite off a chunk. He chewed the piece of pastry slowly, still feeling slightly unsure, buf his expression quickly turned pleased as he realized that he liked the taste of the cookie. Cerebella smirked as he swallowed his treat and messed with his hair playfully. "Heh... Y'see? What'd I tell ya? Good stuff, right?" She asked playfully.

"It... It was yummy..." Harry said softly. Cerebella handed him the rest of the cookie, giving him an encouraging look, clearly telling him to go ahead and dig in. In one bite, Harry savagely and messily devoured the cookie, making both women present laugh at his expression as he ate the treat. Once it was all gone he looked up at Feng, his face covered in crumbs and chocolate, but his eyes almost pleading silently for another. Feng felt like she was going to have a heart attack from it, and she happily picked up another cookie, only for Cerebella to swipe it from her.

"My turn."

Feng rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "Tch... Somehow I get the feeling it's ALWAYS going to be your turn, Cerebella." She huffed.

Cerebella snickered as she gave Harry another bite of cookie. "Well, y'know, I'm his guardian, and as his guardian, I get special privileges."

Feng snorted. "Riiight. Special privileges. Like the privilege to be a Harry hog?" She asked flatly. Cerebella responded by sticking out her tongue and pulling down her eyelid. "Yeah, that's real mature." Feng was about to continue her complaints, when she heard a tiny giggle from Cerebella's lap. The two looked down at Harry, who was looking up at the women with a tiny smile on his face. The two girls looked at each other, then Feng pulled her eyelids up and stuck her tongue out at her roommate, hoping to get a laugh from Harry.

It worked. The boy laughed softly, and the two girls exchanged toothy grins. Then they began making a variety of increasingly bizarre faces at each other. As Harry laughed joyfully at their silly faces, Kitty looked back and forth between them from his spot on Harry's lap like he thought they were both idiots.

Eventually, the two women had to stop with the faces, as their facial muscles were beginning to feel stiff. Cerebella messed up Harry's hair playfully. "You have a great laugh, kiddo." Harry blushed and looked down, trying not to show his embarrassment as Feng suddenly managed to worm Harry out of Cerebella's arms, setting him on her lap.

"And the cutest most adorable widdle face!" She added, playfully nuzzling his head with her cheek. Harry liked Miss Feng, he liked Miss Cerebella more, but Miss Feng was a close second.

Cerebella huffed when Feng took Harry, smirking playfully at her friend. "You're a dirty Harry thief." Feng stuck her nose up in the air and snorted.

"Like I'm gonna get a chance to hold him any other way, miss Cutie Hogger." Cerebella playfully punched her friend's shoulder, which caused Feng to very noticeably cringe.

"Ah... Sorry, sometimes I forget my own strength." Cerebella said sheepishly. Feng just gave her a dirty look.

"Sure..." Feng rolled her eyes, sarcasm dripping in her tone, before smiling down at Harry. "Well, now I've got a Harry shield! You wouldn't want to hit him would you?" Cerebella's eyes widened in horror at the remark.

"Feng! That's just mean!" Cerebella exclaimed.

"Too bad! He's all mine now!" Feng replied, turning away and holding Harry close, kissing his tiny head. Harry was giggling at the interaction between the two and the kisses. "Hmmmm... I wonder if my little Harry is ticklish?" Feng said with a grin.

"YOUR little Harry?! Oh, that's a laugh!" Cerebella snorted. "The kid's mine and you know it." Feng gave her a toothy grin, and Vice-Versa put a hand to her face. "Atta boy, Vice, block that ugly face."

"Hmm! M fc s nt ugy!" Came Feng's muffled protests. She removed her arms from around Harry and set to trying to remove Vice-Versa's hold on her.

"Ah-HA!" Cerebella seized the opportunity to snatch Harry away from Feng, setting him back in her lap triumphantly. Feng sputtered in indignation as Vice Versa released her.

"Foul! Foul!" She exclaimed. Cerebella stuck out her tongue once more. Kitty was now seated between the two, looking like he thought he was surrounded by idiots. "Give him back!" Feng shouted only to have Cerebella's hand pushing against her head keeping her from moving. "No fair! you're way stronger than I am!"

"Hmmmm... I don't know..." Cerebella mused. "What do you think Harry? Do you want to stay with me? Or be with mean old miss Feng?" Harry looked at the two women, then smiled and nuzzled closer to Cerebella, who hugged him triumphantly.

Feng crossed her arms and sulked in her seat, her cheeks popping out like a pufferfish as she let out a loud, audible "Hmph!" Vice-Versa clapped a hand against Feng's back.

"Ah, no worries, Feng, you can have Kitty!" The cat in question had indeed shown interest in Feng, and clambered onto her lap, looking up at her and purring.

Feng smiled slightly. "...Yeah, Kitty's cute... I still think you should have named him Midnight though."

"And I still think Midnight is an edgelord name."

"Edgelord?" Harry asked confused, tilting his head as he looked up at Cerebella.

"Oh, uh, it's a term meaning 'trying to sound cool'." Cerebella said, giving a (relatively tame) answer.

"I think Midnight is a nice name." Harry commented, patting Kitty's head, earning a happy 'mew' from the kitten, Feng grinned widely while Cerebella pouted.

"But he already knows his name is Kitty... I can't change it now..." Cerebella grumbled, resting her chin on Harry's head with a pout. Kitty meowed, as if in affirmation

Feng scratched the cat beneath his chin and he purred lightly at the affection. The smaller girl smirked lightly. "You sure he's your cat, Cerebella? He really seems to like me."

"Aw, c'mon, Feng, now you're trying to steal my cat too?" Cerebella griped, giving her friend the stinkeye. Feng just snickered in response.

"I mean, throw me a bone here! You get Kitty AND Harry? That's just not fair!" Feng continued with mock annoyance. "If you want Kitty, it'll cost you a Harry."

"You REALLY think I'd trade Harry for Kitty?" Cerebella asked, bemused.

"Well, in that case..." Feng shrugged, rising to her feet and walking away, holding Kitty in her arms. Cerebella frowned then groaned in annoyance.

"Okay... how about we trade for a few minutes?" She sighed in defeat. Feng smirked and handed Kitty to Cerebella, prompting the black cat to hop into his master's lap. Cerebella smirked and scratched behind his ear. "Sorry, bud, Miss Feng's got me tied." She passed the boy to her friend. Harry was very amused by this whole situation. Miss Cerebella and Miss Feng were funny. He wondered if this was what it was like to be a ball.

Feng took him with a smirk. "Thank you SOOOOO much for your patronage." She said mockingly, prompting Cerebella to throw a cookie at her face. The cookie found it's mark and smacked into Feng, then bounced off her and landed in Harry's hands. He blinked, then began eating the cookie, clearly enjoying it. "Daaawwww, I think I love you." Feng cooed, tickling Harry's chin.

Cerebella smirked at Feng's response. "I think very few people would disagree with you there, Feng." She said before deciding to help herself to a cookie as well. Kitty meowed and stood on his hind legs, supporting himself by pressing his front paws against his owner's chest. Cerebella petted his head fondly before turning the TV on. The trio sat in comfortable silence as they watched the television. By the time the cartoon they were watching ended, Harry had found his way back in Cerebella's lap. The green-haired woman wrapped her arms around him and held him close, Harry snuggled into the contact and looked up at his caregiver, giving a tiny smile which made Cerebella's heart melt. The three remained where they were for a few more shows until Harry seemed to be drifting off once again. Cerebella chuckled softly and kissed the top of his head. "You are one sleepy kid, aren'tcha?" She asked playfully. Harry mumbled something into her stomach.

"A little nap can't hurt." Feng said with a shrug. "I'm gonna go get dinner started. I think we're all ready for an actual meal." As if on cue, their stomachs growled in unison. Harry smiled as he was rested against Cerebella's chest and carried off once again. Bella was gently humming a tune to him as she returned to her room. By the time she had set him on the bed, he was already fast asleep. However, Cerebella decided this time she was going to stay, she knew poor sweet little Harry was going through a lot, and she wanted to be there for him. She looked at the sleeping boy and found herself thinking... He had slept an awful lot within the span of one day... It seemed he had a lot of sleep to catch up on... The question was...why? Did his original... 'caretakers' deprive him of sleep on top of everything else? Did they deliberately keep him awake just so he would suffer more? She breathed heavily through her nostrils, her anger flaring as she began to picture someone willingly subjecting this sweet little thing to pure, unadulterated hell on earth.

Cerebella knew that at some point she was going to have to ask him about the conditions that led to him running away and hiding in a garbage can, but for now, she was completely overtaken by how adorable he looked when he slept. The already tiny boy curled into a tiny ball and was quietly snoring, barely audible, but just enough to sound like a bird chirp almost. It was one of the cutest things Cerebella had ever seen, she wished she could keep this moment forever.

But her mind drifted to something else that had happened earlier, Beatrix had said that Harry had magic. She couldn't have been serious, right? But then again, Beatrix wasn't one to lie about magic, and she seemed far too interested in Harry suddenly. Cerebella frowned and tightened her grip on the small boy remembering how Beatrix tired to steal him... She would try again. She just knew it. The arrogant magician always did have it out for her, and when she wanted something, she stopped at nothing to get it...

Shaking her head, Cerebella leaned forward and kissed Harry's cheek gently. "I will NOT let that miserable bitch take you... I promise..."

Meanwhile, back in Beatrix's room, the magician was furiously throwing knives at her dartboard. A dartboard that just so happened to have a picture of Cerebella on it. "Stupid...brainless...senseless...bitch!" Beatrix scowled as she continued throwing knives. "She has NO IDEA WHAT SHE'S DOING!"

After another few minutes, Beatrix calmed down and began pacing around her room, trying to think of a way to get Harry to understand that he needed HER to raise him, not that airheaded weight lifter... She took a deep breath and tried to think about what she was going to do about the situation... Cerebella was extremely stubborn, that much was obvious, and she was not going to give up the boy willingly...The magician gritted her teeth when she remembered what the weightlifter had said to her. Accusing her of being a potentially abusive parent... Who did she think she was?! She felt a light sting in her palm and realized she was clenching her fists. Loosening her grip, she looked down at her hands to see her nails had drawn blood.

"Thanks for that Bella..." She scowled as she went to clean her hands off. As she washed the cuts clean, her mind turned to another problem. How was she going to convince Harry that she'd be a better mentor than Cerebella? She knew whatever it was, she had to do it soon, short of kidnapping him and disappearing to another town, Beatrix was struggling to think of anything.

Then... a thought came to her.

Kids came to the circus all the time, and they always were enthralled by her magic, maybe if she showed Harry some, then promised to teach him... yes, that could work. Smirking, she took a seat on her bed and began to think. What kind of tricks would Harry enjoy seeing...? So many ideas, so many possibilities... Surely he'd want to learn some cool spells.

Back in Cerebella and Feng's room, the two girls sat in silence, waiting for the pot of noodles to start boiling. "Soooo... Did I do a good job on that clam sauce, or did I do a good job on that clam sauce?" Cerebella said boastfully.

Feng rolled her eyes. "Oh, yes, Cerebella, you sure did. I was watching you the entire time. And correcting you the entire time." She said flatly.

"...Couldn't just let me have it?"

"Your ego's big enough as it is, Bella." Cerebella pouted and turned away childishly, Feng laughing at her friends reaction. "So, random question, how much do you know about the kid?" Feng asked slowly, making Cerebella raise a brow.

"How much do I know?" She repeated, confused.

"Yeah, like... why was he in a garbage can? I get that he's probably been hurt, sadly possibly by his own family... but do you know why?"

The question gave Bella pause. It was a good question, but other than Harry saying he was too scared to go back, and he was a 'freak', there wasn't much to go off of. "I mean... The underneath of his shirt looks pretty nasty... Like...someone's seriously been hurting him... But the why, I have no idea..."

"Hmm... Um... Would it have anything to do with...the magic? Beatrix said that he was magic, do you think that would have anything to do with it?"

"Honestly, Feng, I couldn't care less about the why. They're getting their faces pounded into pudding either way, so it really doesn't matter."

"True. Very true." Feng nodded in agreement. "Oh hey, the food's done."

"Great!" Cerebella said happily. "Uh... now what?" Feng laughed, shaking her head and instructing her friend on how to finish up the meal. At the same time, the smell of warm noodles was wafting throughout the building, and it stirred Harry from his nap.

He let out a soft "Hmm...?" at the appealing smell before sitting up in the bed, stretching his arms and yawning softly. 'More food...? Probably for Miss Bella and Miss Feng...'

He looked down, but when the door opened, he smiled when he saw Cerebella walk in. "Ah, how about that, you're awake! Suppertime, kiddo, let's go eat!"

"Really...? You want me to eat with you...? Like... in the family room...?"

"Uh huh! You're part of the family now!" Cerebella said with a wide smile, then frowned when she saw it seemed like Harry was about to burst into tears. "Aww, what's wrong?"

"I...I..."

"Don't say you're too freaky, kiddo. You're not." Cerebella cut him off with a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"Why are you so nice to me?" Harry asked, looking up. Cerebella blinked at that and then took a kneeling position in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulders and pressing her forehead to his.

"Because there's no reason to be mean to you. None. The vermin that put that stuff in your head? They're the ones to blame. They're the ones I hate. Not you. NEVER you." Harry bit his lip, but when he saw the look on Cerebella's face, he decided not to argue. He replied with a timid nod and reached up, making the woman smile and lift him up into her strong arms. She adjusted Harry so he was sitting in her arms as she began to make her way towards the dining room.

Cerebella sat herself at the small table she shared with Feng, then set Harry gently on her lap. She folded her hands together so they were wrapped around him, she gave him a playful poke which earned a tiny giggle from the boy. Feng was serving up the noodles and brought over three steaming bowls. "I hope you like it, Harry." She said with a smile. Harry thanked them for his meal, then looked at it and his eyes lit up in recognition. It was seafood linguinni! He had made this dish several times in the past!

Cerebella quirked a brow at the boy's reaction, smirking lightly. "Heh... Looks pretty good, huh? Made the sauce myself." Feng cleared her throat. "...Okay, Feng helped a little." Cerebella laughed when the smaller woman kicked her shin from under the table.

"I used to make this for my...um...family..." He was hesitant to call the Dursleys that. "I...I tried some shrimp once, but my uncle saw, and he..." He fell silent and clutched at his tiny arm. Cerebella pulled back his sleeve and noticed an absolutely nasty burn mark on the boy's arm.

"Oh my God..." Cerebella whispered, everything suddenly starting to connect better. She knew his uncle had hurt him... but not even letting him eat?! No wonder he was so skinny! Cerebella hugged Harry tightly and kissed the top of his head. "That... that isn't right. No, no... you'll never..." She trailed off, tears forming in her eyes. "I promise, you'll always have food to eat, and you'll NEVER be hurt here Harry."

Feng was looking at the scene before her in shock. She approached slowly and hugged Harry from another angle. "Oh God, what did they do to you...?" She breathed.

Harry was snuggled into Cerebella. Despite the circumstances of the situation, he couldn't help but maintain a small, content smile on his face. Was it really true? Could it really be possible that all his pain and misery was finally coming to an end? Could he really be raised somewhere where he was loved? "If you don't wanna talk about it, that's just fine." Cerebella said soothingly, rubbing his back in a sign of comfort and affection.

"Yeah, sorry sweetie... didn't mean to bring up bad memories..." Feng mumbled, feeling bashful about what she may have done.

"S'okay..." Harry mumbled. Cerebella looked down at him, and chuckled softly when she saw the expression of peace and contentment on his face.

"Heh... All right, Mr. Smiles, I think it's time to eat now." She said before scooping up a spoonful of linguinni and putting it in his mouth. The meal was spent in relative silence as Cerebella fed Harry, the happy mood from earlier essentially ruined by what Harry had revealed about his life. However, the two women didn't know that for the first time in his entire life, Harry felt safe. He felt safe... and loved. Two things he thought he would never experience in his life, and for that, he was unbelievably grateful. He just didn't know how to put it into words. Sure, he was frightened every time his family was brought up, but he also believed now that Miss Cerebella and Miss Feng would protect him. He trusted them.

And unknown to the trio, just outside the window, Beatrix was watching them. Her frown deepened as she saw the tiny magical prodigy she wanted to train snuggle closer to Cerebella. She needed to act fast. Scowling at Cerebella, she turned to walk away, looking down at her spellbook. She had chosen the spells she was going to show Harry... She would act tomorrow.

Later that night...

Cerebella was currently sitting with Harry on her lap, putting together a list. She was going to have to buy some things for the little boy. He had nothing but the clothes on his back...

He needed a toothbrush... Clothes... Some toys for sure... A few books couldn't hurt, maybe a small blanket for him as well. She looked down at the boy in her lap and smiled as she saw him resting against her chest, breathing contently. A few moments later, Kitty appeared and hopped up on the table. At first, he seemed to be looking for leftovers, but when he felt Harry begin to scratch his ears, he meowed approvingly and remained where he could be pet.

Cerebella smiled mirthfully before her mind jumped to what she was going to do tomorrow. It was supposed to be back to training for the circus group... What was she going to do with Harry in the meantime? She didn't know anyone who could watch him, and she didn't want to leave him alone... Maybe he could just sit in the bleachers and watch. Yes, that sounded like a good idea...

"Hey, Harry?" Cerebella spoke up, smiling down at the tiny boy. "Me, Feng and the others need to practice for a bit." She began but noticed an undeniable look of terror in Harry's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"A..are you l..l...leaving me?" The tiny boy stammered, he seemed relieved when Cerebella kissed him on the top of his head.

"Of course not." She said matter-of-factly. "I just wanted to tell you that you'll be sitting a little bit away so you don't get hurt. But don't worry, I'll be able to see you the whole time." Harry seemed to relax at that. Cerebella messed up his hair playfully. "Yeah, nothing to worry about. It's not gonna happen until tomorrow morning."

"Oh... Okay, that's good then..." Harry said softly. The circus girl continued to think about what she needed to get for him so he could live comfortably. "Um... Miss Bella...?"

"Hmm? Yeah, what's up, kiddo?" The greenette asked with a tilted head.

"Um... Thank you... For...For everything... You're really nice to me and you make me feel not as scared and I feel really safe and happy when you hold me..."

"Aww, shucks..." Cerebella said with a small smile. "You are just too precious for your own good." Harry's blush deepened as Cerebella held him closer and nuzzled his tiny head with her cheek. Harry giggled lightly at the contact and leaned into it happily. He really meant everything he had said, he felt safe and happy. He never wanted this to end.

And as far as Cerebella was concerned, no one would ever harm Harry again.


	3. Chapter 3

Cerebella groaned as the morning sun shone into her eyes. "Ugh... Turn it off..." She grumbled, tightening her hold on her teddy bear. Wait... Since when did she sleep with a teddy bear?

Eyes opening in confusion, she looked over, and she smiled softly when she saw Harry sleeping soundly in her arms, lying atop her stomach as she laid on her back. Much to the young woman's amusement, he was using her breasts as his pillow. Cerebella smiled and wrapped her arms around the tiny boy and sighed contently. This was a moment that was absolute bliss. Nothing could ruin it...

"Hey! Cerebella!" Feng suddenly exclaimed, jumping up and scaring her roommate intentionally. The weight lifter screamed in surprise and lurched forward, accidentally burying Harry in the blankets. She heard his muffled yelp and pulled him free from his little prison, Then she shot Feng a tired glare and hugged the little boy close to her chest.

"We still have an hour before we have to get up, Feng. We're not all early birds y'know." Feng just snickered in response, much to Cerebella's chagrin.

"Well, if you want your breakfast to get cold, I guess that's your perogative." The petite girl replied with a shrug before walking out of the room.

"M...miss Cerebella?" Harry stammered, clearly terrified. "I didn't mean.. mean to sleep so long... please don't be mad..." Cerebella was saddened at his request. She stared down at the trembling boy with a deep frown. After a few moments, she managed to compose herself and gave Harry a loving kiss on the cheek.

"Harry, don't be sorry for sleeping, Feng just decided to give me a rude awakening, that's all. There's nothing to be scared of." Harry relaxed at that, and Cerebella rose to her feet, hugging him close to her bosom and walking downstairs to the dining room, where Feng was already digging into her stack of pancakes. Cerebella perked up at the sight of the breakfast. "Aw, now we're talkin'!" The greenette placed Harry down in his seat, pleased to see that Feng had already cut his pancakes for him, then dug into her own. Harry looked at the pancakes. Dudley had always boasted about how good these were, and now he had a chance to try them himself... He picked up a chunk of a pancake and looked at it curiously. Feng seemed to notice this and quickly poured some maple syrup on it with a grin. "Go on, kid! Eat up!" The juggler said with a smile. Harry nodded and obediently took a bite, and his eyes widened to the size of the plates Feng juggled as he felt the flavour wash over him like a tsunami.

Feng crossed her arms and stuck her nose up in the air pridefully. "Ha! Y'see that, Cerebella? You'll never be able to get a reaction like THAT with your cooking!"

"Uh...ExCUSE me?!" Exclaimed a very incensed weightlifter. "I could too! I just need to practice, that's all!" Feng didn't lose the smug grin.

"And practice. And practice. And when you're done practicing, practice some more. ...And also learn not to put chocolate sauce in clam sauce."

"Gimme a break! Putting together two tasty things must make it tastier, right?" Harry paid no attention to them, eating his pancakes slowly to savour the taste. As the two girls continued arguing, their voices getting louder, it suddenly occurred to them that Harry was unnaturally silent after how freaked he had been earlier. They turned and saw Harry still eating his pancakes. The sight of the tiny boy so lost in the flavour immediately made them stop fighting and give an 'Awww!' In unison. That did get Harry to snap out of his food trace and look at them with a tilted head. Cerebella smirked and patted his head. "Pay no attention to us, kid. Just keep on eating." She urged, prompting him to return to the meal with a small shrug. The group finished eating before going about the rest of their morning routines. Getting dressed, brushing their teeth, showering, the works. Cerebella, now wearing her favourite orange dress, carried Harry to the big top, ready to start her day. She was a bit on edge though... Beatrix was going to be there. Still, as long as she could keep an eye on Harry, he'd be safe. Cerebella decided, hoping Beatrix had learned her lesson after their previous encounter. As they walked towards the large tent where they'd be practicing, Harry was looking around at all the colours of the carnival now in the warm morning sun. Cerebella giggled at his expression and twirled around, holding Harry up in the air. "It's wonderful, is it?" She laughed. "People come from all over to witness the wonderful whimiscal world of Vitale Circus!" Harry giggled at the over the top grandiose way his caretaker described the circus to him, and she smiled at him. "Heh... I'll have to give ya a proper tour sometime... Maybe after we go shopping later..." She entered the tent and saw everyone sans Feng was already there. Cerebella never really understood just why Feng always took so long to get ready... Talliesin was fixing his puppets' strings. Hubrecht was flexing in front of a mirror. Regina was feeding her animals. And Beatrix was visibly scowling at her. Cerebella decided to ignore the magician as she Felt the eagerness to finally be able to perform in front of large audiences again. She then remembered the tiny boy in her arms and gave him a gentle squeeze. She looked around and then found a comfortable place for Harry to watch. "Alright Harry, you just relax here, we're gonna practice for a bit!" Cerebella grinned, patting Harry's head. Harry nodded her head and made himself comfy as Cerebella stepped down to greet the rest of her workers. She noticed Beatrix trying to approach Harry and stood in her way. "No. Stop. Stay away. You already made a bad impression, you're just gonna scare him again." The green haired girl said coldly to the magician, who scowled.

"Oh come on, moss head." Beatrix retorted, using the name Cerebella hated. "I'm not gonna hurt him. I just wanna talk to him, show him a few things."

"What? So you can wrap him in your cloak and run off with him? Not happening." Cerebella replied, showing no signs of stepping aside. Beatrix sighed and rubbed her face.

"Look." She began. "Whether you like me or not, that kid has power. Power he clearly doesn't understand. Power that could easily hurt someone if he doesn't get the proper training."

Cerebella looked thoughtful, before giving Beatrix a light smirk. "Yeah? Well, I'll bet you I can find someone else to teach him. Someone that won't drive him to a nervous breakdown with their temper tantrums and lack of social skills."

Beatrix sputtered indignantly before snarling in the darker skinned woman's face. "You...You are such...a damn...HUSSY, you big boobed bimbo!"

"My point exactly, Beatrix. Harry's scared of you already, and I don't wanna see him scared like that again. Just leave him alone, would ya? Besides, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you sound jealous." Cerebella added with a wicked smirk. Her comment left Beatrix in actual mute shock. Cerebella smiled defiantly, but was suddenly hit in the gut. The sudden attack caught her off guard and sent her doubling over, trying to catch her breath.

"Miss Cerebella!" Harry exclaimed, shocked at what he just saw. "Wh...why did you do that?!" Beatrix turned to face Harry, and immediately realized her mistake. Not only was her face one of complete anger, but he had just seen her hit Cerebella. The woman who he clearly deeply cared for.

The magician's eyes widened at the realization that she screwed up big time. "Um...I uh..." She stammered. By this point, Cerebella had regained her bearings. Beatrix found herself whirled around to face the stronger woman, and promptly received a taste of her own medicine in a strong punch to the gut. Cerebella's superior strength to her own was enough to send her tumbling back a bit, clutching her stomach with a wheeze. Cerebella stomped over and glared down at her, leaning down to whisper in her ear so Harry didn't hear her.

"I...am SICK...OF YOUR...SHIT! I swear. If you EVER come near Harry again. I will make you suffer." She spat, the threat in her voice incredibly clear. Letting go of the magician, she quickly scooped up Harry to make sure he was alright."She didn't hurt you, did she kiddo?" Cerebella asked, concerned.

"N...No." Harry stammered. "Why does she hate you so much?"

"She... she's just mean. That's all there is to it." Cerebella replied calmly. Beatrix was seething in rage at this point. Damn that woman, DAMN her! Who did she think she was?! All she wanted to do was talk to Harry! She was the one who got on her case! It was HER fault! She couldn't just sit by idly! She HAD to be Harry's teacher! The boy had potential! How could Cerebella just turn down her attempts to teach him?!

"Enough, Beatrix." Came Regina's stern voice. "You may have had your chance to interact with Harry if you hadn't antagonized Cerebella every time she tried to show you kindness in the past." The magician didn't say anything but stormed out of the tent, leaving the others in a stunned silence. Cerebella and Feng felt awful for how that went, Hubrecht was left in disgust of how Beatrix treated Cerebella (and Harry), Regina was just... disappointed, and even Taliesin was left without words, though this was mainly due to disappointment that Cerebella and Beatrix's fight didn't get more intense.

"M'sorry..." Harry mumbled, and Cerebella wrapped her arms around him tighter.

"Not your fault, kid... Not your fault..." She assured, giving the evil eye to the retreating Beatrix. Sighing softly, she rubbed his head. "Okay... Why don't I get you some cotton candy, and you can watch us practice, sound good?"

"Cotton...candy...?" Harry asked softly. Cerebella smirked before turning to Regna with an imploring look, prompting the beast tamer to nod.

"Please do be quick about it... And don't take too much. A certain someone has done a number on our supply." Regina shot Hubrecht a stern glance, causing the giant to look like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Cerebella nodded and carried the still somewhat trembling boy out of the tent.

"M'sorry..." Harry mumbled again. "This was all my fault."

"No it wasn't little guy, please don't believe it was." Cerebella said, trying her best to get the truth through to Harry. Sadly, it didn't seem to work.

"But she wants me for my freaky stuff, stuff you don't have... so it can't be your fault. It's all mine..." Cerebella stopped, simply held Harry up to eye level and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"Harry, this ISN'T your fault." She said somewhat sternly, but also caringly. "I don't know what Beatrix is going on about, but don't think for a second it's your fault."

"I...I... I'm confused, Miss Bella... I... Everything's my fault... That's what everyone else told me... But now you're telling me it's not, and...and..."

Cerebella pressed her forehead against his. "Harry... The ones who told you that are sick. They're sick in the head. They're nasty, evil people that want to hurt you for no reason."

"But...But why me...? Why did they wanna hurt me...? They never hurt each other... It was always me... Why...? I don't understand why...Why did they hate me so much...?"

"I don't know." The weightlifter admitted sadly. "It...it shouldn't have happened, ever. I don't know how or why anyone could hate someone as adorable as you... and it hurts me to know someone would hurt someone like you... but I promise, all that pain and suffering is over." Harry looked with with wet eyes then timidly held his tiny arms towards her.

"Hug?" He asked hopefully, making the weightlifter giggle at the adorableness of his timidness.

"Hug." She replied as she tightened her hold on him and nuzzled the top of his head. "It's gonna be okay, Harry... The ones that hurt you are gonna pay."

"Y-You're gonna make them give you money?" Harry asked, confused, prompting Cerebella to smirk and shake her head in response to him.

"No, no, I'm thinking they should pay in beatings instead." To affirm this point, Vice-Versa beat its fists together with a visible glare on its face.

"D...Don't hurt anyone!" Harry exclaimed, frightened, as he tried to tighten his grip on Cerebella. The sudden exclaimation surprised the greenette.

"Hey, Hey... I didn't mean to upset you. I just wanted you to know that I'll always protect you." Cerebella said as reassuringly as she could.

Harry buried his face into her chest and whimpered. "D-Does he have to get hurt?" Cerebella sighed softly and ruffled his hair, giving him a serious look.

"Harry, you know about bears, right?" She asked. Harry blinked, then nodded. "Well, mother bears are VERY protective of their young. When someone hurts a mother bear's cub, the mother bear will stop at nothing to pay them back tenfold. In this situation...I'm the mother bear, and you're the cub. Someone hurt you... And I have to get back at them somehow."

"Oh... okay." Harry timidly replied, somewhat understanding the analogy. Did this mean Miss Cerebella was his mama? No... no she was just kind, he dared not overstep his boundaries. He still wasn't sure if she was just acting nice and really was going to hurt him like everyone else. Whatever the case, Harry decided to enjoy the warmth she provided for now. Cerebella reached the cotton candy stand and got what she felt was a reasonable amount of the sticky pink treat before handing it to him.

"There ya go, that oughta cheer you up." She said with a wink. Harry thanked her, then took a tiny nibble, delighted at the sugary pink treat.

"It's yummy." He said softly, prompting a smirk from Cerebella.

"Only the best we could get our hands on!" Harry eagerly ate the sugary treat, his face lighting up once again. "Feel better little guy?" Cerebella asked, smiling down at the tiny boy in her arms.

"Mmhmm." Harry nodded, mouth full of cotton candy.

Cerebella chuckled, then carried him back to the big top. "Glad to hear it. Now, I really have to get back and practice... There shouldn't be any more problems, okay?" Harry nodded and bit into his treat once more, getting a grin from his caregiver as she entered the tent and set him down on the bleachers once more. She turned to see that Beatrix was there once again, sulking as she practiced her simpler tricks, no doubt dragged back to practice by Regina. Now Harry watched as Cerebella and Feng practiced a routine where they worked off of one another. Bella would lift Feng up with one hand and then toss her the plates she would juggle with the other. Feng in the other end would catch said plates, and do her best to keep upwards of four or five going at once. Beatrix, meanwhile, hadn't given up on trying to persuade Harry to see the potential his magic could offer. Upon seeing his arrival, she figured she would go all out. She performed several of her best, flashiest spells. Colourful magical sparks, teleportation, streams of actual flame, anything she could think of that a little boy would find cool. Grinning, she turned to see Harry's reaction... And her eye twitched when she saw he wasn't paying any attention to her whatsoever, focusing exclusively on Cerebella and Feng. Beatrix scowled and decided to try a new tactic. Very cautiously, she reached out with her magic to see what Harry's magical aura was like. She was surprised that upon first glance, it didn't seem to exist. The magician frowned deeply at that. Had she been wrong? But she could sense something. A tiny tingle of magic, and after a careful bit of prodding, Beatrix found herself in awe of what she found. The boy's magic was unbelievable! Harry noticed Beatrix staring at him, then winced and looked away. Beatrix groaned and rubbed her temples before looking at him once again. The more she looked at his magic reserves, the deepe and more vast they seemed. However, she then noticed something... Something less than pleasant... The scar on his forehead. There was some very dark magic radiating through it. No, not just dark magic... Pure evil magic. Magic that only true evil would use. But... this kid couldn't be evil. He was too small... too... innocent. Beatrix has to give a point to Cerebella that Harry was kinda cute, and it seemed clear now that he barely understood his powers. Had no one explained this to him? Or was his suprisession intentional?

"No." She mentally frowned, he didn't even know what his magic WAS. How could he understand suprisession? Unless... he was doing it out of fear.

She began to wonder about the boy's homelife. Could it be possible that he was raised by muggles? Muggles really did have a tendency to hate things they didn't understand...

Was it possible that the boy was abused by his own family? It certainly seemed so, judging by the way he reacted to everything. Her hard expression softened as a voice ran through her head...

'Keep at it! You're not leaving this room until you've made progress!'

'If you haven't mastered this spell by tonight, you'll be going to bed without dinner!'

'You've been at it for three hours and made no progress! Don't make me get the belt!'

'Second place?! Damn it, Beatrix, you're completely WORTHLESS! Why can't you do anything right?! You know I won't settle for anything less than the absolute best!'

Beatrix gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. 'I absolutely HATE you, dad... You deserved everything the Medici did to you...' Though she was well aware that the Medici were only using her for their own gain, killing her father was the best thing they had ever done... Even if it was just to get her on their side... She felt... guilty? No. Remorse? No, that wasn't it either... whatever it was, it didn't matter. If anything, this thought and potential revelation merely strengthened her resolve to make sure that Harry would be well taken care of, and under her training to become the powerful wizard she sensed in him.

Wait... Medici...

She let her magic dissipate as she began thinking about something else. Why did Vitale let Harry stay? Did he sense the magic too? Or maybe it was just to keep Cerebella happy. Yes, that was the more likely answer. But... Harry's magic... Beatrix groaned to herself. He would be far more useful to them under her care, and the best way to get them to see that was to speak with Vitale directly. However, one could not speak with the Medici higher ups without making a scheduled appointment. Getting an appointment often took quite a long time... And Vitale disliked her quite immensely ever since the test he had put her, Cerebella and Feng through. In hindsight, perhaps hurling knives at him wasn't the best idea... In her defence, it had been a good idea at the time..:

Beatrix shook her head, deciding to go back to practicing. The last thing she needed was Regina thinking she was slacking off. Or Cerebella noticing her looking at Harry. As much as she hated to admit it, that woman was strong. Over on the bleachers, Harry shrank back slightly. He had felt something... and he sort of knew what it was. He knew that when he felt that odd feeling, his freaky stuff was about to happen. And then he'd get hurt... He tried to fight the feeling off, but no matter how hard he tried, it just wouldn't go away. If anything, it rapidly grew stronger and stronger by the second...

"Hey, Feng, when did you dye your hair?" Harry tensed up when he heard Cerebella's voice. Looking over, he saw, much to his horror, that Feng's hair was green now.

"Huh? I never..." The juggler began to reply, confusion clear in her voice, but it quickly faded away as she saw that her hair was indeed now a bright green. Brighter than Cerebella's, almost neon in fact. Harry turned ghost-white when he realized what he had done. He shrank back as far as he could, deciding he needed to get out of here. NOW. He slipped and fell through the bleachers, landing on the grass, but he didn't cry out. He knew better. Instead, he picked himself up and made himself scarce, disappearing under the side of the tent. However, Beatrix noticed this, and saw it as an opportunity. As Cerebella and Feng tried to make sense of the situation, Beatrix snuck out to go and find Harry. When she got outside, she saw him trying to run...nowhere in particular, it seemed. He was just running without thinking about it. Quickly, the magician apparated in front of him.

Harry squeaked as he bumped into something and fell on his bottom. Looking up, he was scared when he saw Beatrix looking down at him. "So you run away to join the circus, only to run away from the circus. Doesn't make a lot of sense."

"G...Go away..." Harry whimpered, and Beatrix sensed a real sense of... brokenness in him. He seemed shattered mentally and somewhat physically. She felt somewhat sorry for the little guy...

"Harry, I know I scared you... and kinda got into a fight with Cerebella, but I just want to talk, okay?" The magician said, squatting down to try and seem less intimidating. She gave the kindest smile she could but sighed when she saw it didn't seem to have any effect of the terror coursing through Harry's body. She groaned and rubbed her temples, not sure how to deal with this. "Okay... Okay... Just calm down, and let me talk this out with you..."

Harry hesitated, then nodded his head slowly, willing to hear the magician out. "O...Okay..." He breathed out, his voice trembling and whispy.

"Okay... So you're afraid of your magic." Harry noticeably flinched at the word. "So I just wanna know... What's wrong with magic?"

"It...it...it..." Harry stammered. Normally, this would annoy Beatrix to the world's end, but she decided to hold her temper for now. "It's not normal... it's freaky... I'm... freaky..." Several wires seemed to connect in Beatrix's mind. She didn't have to look into his head or even ask to know why he thought that.

"Someone taught you that your magic makes you creepy. Didn't they?" The magician asked very slowly. Harry looked up to her, her tone seeming much more... calm, like Miss Cerebella's. He looked at her with a tilted head for several seconds before finally nodding in affirmation. Beatrix found herself understanding the boy. "Well...What if I told you...that I could help you get it under control? Harness it so that it doesn't happen when you don't want it to? Would you like that?"

Harry thought about it. Not accidentally doing the freaky stuff sounded nice, but... "But... But you wanna take me away from Miss Bella... I don't wanna be taken from Miss Bella..." Beatrix exhaled through her nose, listening to what the boy said. He was clearly attached to Cerebella, and well... it was clear now probably any chance she had of smoothing things over with the weight lifter (even for her own gain) was gone.

"I...I..." She sighed in exasperation. "Okay, I guess I don't have to take you from the big chested bimbo..." She noticed Harry pout at her words.

"D-Don't call Miss Cerebella mean names like that, please..." He said softly. "She's really nice... She doesn't deserve mean insults..."

"That she doesn't." A familiar voice sounded out. Beatrix groaned as Cerebella stepped up, arms crossed under her bosom. "I'd really appreciate it if you didn't call me a bimbo to the kid's face."

"Ugh... How long have you been listening in?"

"Long enough." The wheightlifter replied.

"How original." Beatrix snarked with a roll of her eyes. "So now what? Are you gonna beat me into the ground again?"

"As tempted as I am, I don't want Harry to see it." Cerebella replied rather bluntly, eyes narrowed. "But more importantly, I need you to give me a straight answer: why are you so damn interested in Harry?"

"Really? Were you just not listening the last ten times I told you? Magic! He has some of the most powerful magic I've ever seen! You saw what happened to Feng!"

Cerebella snorted. "Heh... Yeah, she's already babbling on about trying out other colours... Personally, I think she should just stick with the one she's got..."

"Focus!" Beatrix snapped. "HARRY did that! Accidentally, I might add! Most kids his age are lucky just to make stuff shift slightly! His power's been suppressed long enough! If no one teaches him how to use it, he might accidentally hurt someone, or even himself!" Cerebella was taken aback. She was used to Beatrix's outbursts, but it was what she said this time that hit her hard. Was Harry really capable of hurting someone? Let alone himself? No... he was too sweet and innocent... but, how could Feng's hair colour have changed?

"Okay, say I believe you." Cerebella sighed. "What can YOU do for Harry?"

"I can help him control it. I can teach him how to use it properly. He can be great. He can change the world if he learns his power. But he can't do that without the proper training." Cerebella sighed, then looked down at Harry, who was hugging her leg. Kneeling down, she picked him up and held him close to her chest.

"Beatrix... Your attitude these past couple days has really been getting under my skin. I can take your rude words and bad temper, but Harry can't. He's too shy and too sensitive. You made him have a nervous breakdown when you first met him, Beatrix." Beatrix groaned and rubbed her face, seeming more like how Cerebella knew her.

"Yes, That did happen... but for the longest time, I haven't met anyone with powers like myself. Let alone as powerful as his. I can make him into something amazing."

"He already is." Cerebella cut in, seeming like this matter was closed without a doubt.

Beatrix scowled. "Okay, yeah, sure, but I can make him even MORE amazing! C'mon, just give me a fair shot here! I'm not gonna hurt the kid!"

Cerebella looked at Beatrix critically. Then she looked at Harry. Then she sighed. "Rule one... Hurt him and I break your arm. Rule two... Yell at him, I throw you into the elephant waste. Rule three... Only if he's okay with it." Harry hesitated for a few moments. If he could control the freaky stuff, then... He reluctantly nodded his head.

"Alright then." Beatrix nodded in reply, her tone still rather cold but internally, she was somewhat excited. "I think he needs some comforting from you, he believes his magic is a curse... I'll talk with you two tomorrow." Beatrix walked away, back towards the tent, at the same time, the now neon green Feng came skidding to a stop.

"Is he okay?!" She gasped, clearly out of breath. Harry took one look at her and threatened to burst into tears.

"I'm...I'm sorry..." He whimpered. Feng blinked and tilted her head, a confused frown on her face. "For... For making your hair turn green..."

Feng gasped. "YOU did that?" Harry nodded slowly, fearing punishment, and he yelped when Feng grabbed him by the shoulders. "Can you do it again?! Just one more time?! I wanna try sky blue hair!" She said excitedly. Harry gave a terrified 'Eep!' And buried his face into Cerbella's bust, surprising the juggler. Cerebella set to trying to coax him out of his terrified state.

"Hey, Hey... she's not mad. It's okay." The wheightlifter cooed soothingly, before looking to her friend. "Feng, he's TERRIFIED of his powers. Please don't bring them up for now. I think Beatrix might be the only one who can help him..."

Feng blinked at that. "Seriously? Beatrix? Oooh, that's gotta be murder on your pride, eh, Cerebella?" The stronger woman rolled her eyes in response.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." She grumbled. "But y'know... Pride comes before a fall and all that... And...Well, Harry is not something I'm willing to risk suffering that fall." Feng nodded in agreement and tickled the tiny boy's chin playfully, earning a tiny smile from Harry. "Can you tell Regina I'll be taking the rest of the night off? I think I need to spend a little time with Harry, he needs some love right now..."

"Alright." Feng nodded as she began making her way back to practice. Cerebella sighed and smiled down at Harry sadly, noting that he still seemed rather frightened of something. She knew neither party was going to enjoy this, but she figured she needed to ask him about his 'Freaky Stuff'.

The greenette gave the boy a small smile and carried him back to her and Feng's living quarters. "Getting pretty close to lunch time anyway... I'll see if we have any leftovers." She entered the kitchen and searched for something she could feed the boy. She found that there was only stuff she'd have to cook, which she could not do. Sighing in exasperation, she turned to look at Harry. "We'll uh...head into town and get something in a bit. But first..." She sat down, holding him in her lap. "I need you to tell me about this...freaky stuff you were talking about." Harry whimpered and instinctively covered his face with his tiny arms, as if trying to protect it from a punch that he expected to be coming. After a few moments, he opened one eye, why wasn't he being hit? Cerebella slowly moved his arms away from his face and smiled sadly at him. "Hey, it's okay." She said reassuringly. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to understand why your so terrified of... whatever you have."

Harry looked up at her with a hesitant expression before looking down at the floor sadly. "Um... Well, I...I..." Cerebella put a hand on his shoulder. "...I get hurt when I use it..."

Cerebella frowned sadly, having a gut feeling it wasn't the act of performing his talents that caused him pain. "You get hurt, huh? How do you get hurt?"

Harry opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to find the words, before finally speaking. "My...My uncle... he... he really doesn't like it, and so he...He..." His voice began to quake as he struggled to fight back tears.

"He hurt you. Didn't he?" Cerebella asked sadly, feeling tears of her own beginning to form in her eyes as well. She pulled Harry into a comforting hug and began rocking him in her arms. "And you ran away because you were scared, and then I found you." Harry just began to cry into Cerebella's chest, unable to give an answer, but Cerebella knew that the answer was 'yes'. It broke her heart knowing that Harry not only was so hurt physically, but the mental ramifications that inevitably would have on the poor boy's mind. She looked down at the little boy and wiped her tears away. Now was not the time for her to break down crying. She needed to stay strong. For Harry..."It's okay, Harry... It's gonna be okay now... As long as I'm by your side, I won't let anyone hurt you like that again... Ever..." She said softly. Harry's sobs slowly grew louder. He had cried with Cerebella before... But this... This was his true breaking point. Where before he had cried softly and tried his hardest to pull himself together, he was now fully letting out his pain and suffering, his sobs loud and audible. Cerebella seated herself on the ground and simply let the tiny bundle in her arms cry himself out. It was clear he needed this so badly... And Cerebella wasn't going to stop him. She desperately wanted him to be the happy, giggling little boy she knew he was deep down, the one who played with her and Feng on the couch, but she knew that Harry was, for lack of a better term, broken. Yes, she had rescued him, and he was going to get over this, but the fact that he needed to get over this in the first place was a major issue. Added to that the fact that the wounds (physical and mental) were still very fresh. Cerebella couldn't imagine what kind of monster could do this... But she did know one thing. She was going to keep Harry safe, and happy, and above all, loved. She looked down at the crying little boy in her arms, and she found herself hugging him tighter against her bosom, gently rubbing the back of his head. "That's it, buddy, that's it... You just get all that pain out of your system... Miss Bella's right here for ya... You're gonna be okay... I'm gonna get you through this..." Cerebella's words worked wonders for making the boy slowly calm down. After forty five minutes, his sobs finally died completely, and he was left a trembling ball in the tightrope walker's arms, letting out the occasional whimper. Cerebella felt a warmth in her chest. It was clear that Harry was attached to her, and she had to admit she was very attached to this tiny boy. Cerebella began gently running her fingers through the shaggy mess of hair that Harry had, a sad small smile on her face. 'Yeah... that settles it. I'm keeping him.' Cerebella thought. As for Harry, after unbottling all his years of pent up fear and distress, he felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off both his chest and shoulders. He felt...at peace... As for Miss Cerebella? He had broken down completely, and she had just held him. No anger, no orders to stop, she just let him cry his heart out... Cerebella now had his complete and total trust. Snuggling in closer to her, he felt safe. Safer than he ever had in his cupboard... Slowly, he looked up at his new caregiver with a look of pure adoration.

"Mo-Miss Cerebella?" Harry timidly asked, catching himself and correcting himself, hoping Cerebella didn't hear. The weight lifter heard something, but assumed he had misspoken through a sob.

"Yes buddy?" She asked with a kind smile.

"W...what's gonna happen to me now? What if my family finds me? What if I hurt you?! What if-" Cerebella silenced him by putting a finger to his lips and giving him a reassuring smirk. Then, she flexed a bicep in a half-joking manner.

"Anyone tries to lay a finger on you, they're getting the business end of Vice-Versa here!" As if on cue, the hat atop her head flexed its muscles. Harry gave a small smile, feeling reassured. While he didn't want anyone to get hurt, he felt safe knowing that Miss Cerebella wouldn't let anyone hurt him. He snuggled into her embrace, trying to show his appreciation for all she had done for him. Cerebella smiled and tightened her hold on him, rubbing his back gently. "So, ya feel better now that you got it all out of your system?" The greenette asked.

"Mm-hmm... Thank you Miss Bella..." Harry mumbled into her tummy, getting a chuckle from the acrobat as she rose to her feet and held him up to eye level.

"No problem, kiddo." She said fondly as she put her nose to his. "Now c'mon... What say we head out into town, get a bite to eat, and then get you a few things, yeah?"

"But...But I have all I need." Harry replied innocently, making Cerebella laugh gently.

"Buddy, all you have is this tattered rag of a shirt." She said, playfully poking his nose. "You deserve so much better,"

"But this is what I deserve, right?"

Cerebella shook her head. "Nope." She replied, popping the P sound at the end. "Hence why I told ya you deserve more." She poked his nose.

"Oh... Okay, I... I guess that makes sense..." Harry mumbled softly, burying his face into the woman's tummy, prompting her to sigh softly.

"And once we get you some real clothes, those rotten old rags are going straight in the trash, right where they belong." She said, giving the shirt a distasteful frown. Harry decided not to argue. Miss Cerebella was smart, so she probably knew what was best for him, and while he didn't want to say it, the promise of clean clothes was very tempting, as he was used to wearing dirty, worn-out clothes all his life. Besides, his stomach was grumbling... He really wanted to eat something, not that he'd ever admit it. The acrobat carried him out the door after leaving a note for Feng, and they set out for town.

The city was bustling, as always, with people going about their day and getting their errands done. Harry looked around curiously at all the sights. The city was far more welcoming while Miss Bella was here... Cerebella smiled down at him, remembering a time long ago when she was as young as he was, and having the same childish wonder sparkle in her eyes as she was taken about the city, then eventually to her home, the circus. She knew there were a number of things she'd need to get Harry, but she decided the most important thing would be some new clothes. Even if all she got was a big hoodie that would cover him, that would be good enough. As she made her way down the street, however, she found herself bumping into somebody due to being distracted by Harry. "Whoops, sorry about that." The figure turned to acknowledge her with a tilted head. She was a slim woman, wearing a trench coat and a fedora, both of which she had snagged off a Medici thug.

Nadia Fortune had managed to climb out of the ocean after the Life Gem revived her. Unfortunately for her, she had ended up in the middle of enemy territory... The woman looked over Cerebella with wide eyes. 'What's this nya-ow? Oh... Craaaap... Circus getup, low-cut dress... She's gotta be one of Vitale's guys... Okay, Nadia, play it cool... She doesn't know who you are yet, just get an opportunity to- Ah geez, is that her kid? The Medici lifestyle'll eat that little guy alive... '

"Uh...Why're you staring at me like that?" Nadia Fortune was pulled from her musing by Cerebella's voice.

"Oh, heh... Sorry, you just caught me off guard there... Yeah, no worries, lady." Then she looked down at Harry. "Sooo... This your kit?" She leaned down slightly and gave Harry a light scratch under his chin, much like one would do for a kitten. Cerebella, despite feeling a bit hesitant at the woman's silence, adopted a sad smile as she looked down at Harry.

"Well, I've been taking care of him, so I guess you could say he is? But... I'm more like a babysitter for him than anything." Cerebella couldn't hear it, but Harry let out a tiny whimper. Was that all Cerebella was? Some just watching him for the time being? He really thought of her as-

His thoughts were stopped when he felt the woman scratch his chin. It felt nice, it felt oddly soothing, and he closed his eyes with a content smile, leaning into the contact somewhat. Nadia smirked at that and let out a chuckle. "Better be careful. When ya got a cute little guy like this, someone might decide they wanna steal him."

Harry looked nervous at that and Cerebella let out an amused snicker at what the woman was insinuating. "Anyone tries...Well, I can always just make a pretzel. I think we're-" Then, quite suddenly, a blur rushed past her, and Harry was no longer in her arms. She gasped, then turned to find Nadia giving her a large catlike grin as she held Harry.

"Purrrsonally, I think you should be more on guard. There's trouble all around ya in a place like this. Even in the last place you'd expect. If you're not careful... He could get seriously hurt."

Cerebella's eyes narrowed as she stepped forward. "That supposed to be a threat, kitty?! You better give him back right now, or I'll squash you like a grape!"

Nadia whistled. "Touchy." She handed Harry back, and Cerebella snatched him away. "To answer your question, though... I'm not threatening you. I'm givin' ya a friendly warning. For the kid's sake, you'd better be careful who you associate yourself with." Cerebella was about to respond angrily, but the woman had somehow disappeared practically into thin air, merging with the crowd and becoming unrecognizable. Cerebella was torn from her angered thoughts by soft whimpers in her arms. She snapped back to reality and held Harry close, trying to soothe the terrified boy.

"Hey... hey it's okay sweetie... it's okay." She cooed, rocking him back and forth.

Nadia looked down on the pair from a rooftop, immensely grateful that her days as a thief had taught her a few handy escape tactics. "Phew... Now THAT could have gotten ugly..." She looked down at Cerebella with a small frown. "Seriously, though... You really do need to get that little guy away from those bastards in the Medicis..." Shaking her head, the Feral turned and hopped down from the building. Somehow, she got the feeling this wouldn't be the last she saw of Cerebella.

Cerebella sighed and bit her lip. She didn't get it, what was she talking about? Who was she aligned with?! The Cirques de Cartes? No... they weren't bad people. They cared for everyone... they cared about the people they entertained... But if she wasn't referring to the Cirques de Cartes, then... She donned a frustrated expression. Seriously, why did people hate the Medicis so much?! They were good people! They willingly took her in when her parents died and gave her a place to stay! They let Harry come and stay with her! So why...? Why did people hate them? They only hurt people who provoked them... Right? She looked at Harry and gave him a small smile. "Don't worry. No one's taking you away from me." Harry smiled back up at her, seeming to believe her words, and finding great comfort in them.

"Thank you." He said, albeit somewhat timidly, but genuine nonetheless.

"C'mon, lets get you out of these rags." Cerebella grinned as she continued walking towards a nearby store, Harry happily snuggled in her arms. She stepped into the clothing store, entered the children's isle, and looked around with a frown. "Huh... Looks like a lot of this stuff's too big for you..."

Harry looked ashamed of himself, visibly wincing in his caregiver's arms. "I'm sorry they're too big for me,.." He said sadly, looking at the floor.

Cerebella grabbed his chin and had him look up at her smiling face. "Don't worry, it just means you'll have to grow into 'em a bit."

"Oh. Okay..." Harry nodded, feeling reassured by Cerebella's smile. The weight lifter sighed and began lifting shirts off the racks again and holding them up to Harry to see what he thought. She hummed and hawed at them, making a small pile of the ones she thought would look good on him. Carrying Harry and the clothes to the dressing room, she sat Harry on the small bench and picked up a shirt.

Then she grabbed a small pair of jeans and held them out to him. "All right, go and try these on in the changing room, okay, little guy?" Harry nodded, obediently taking the clothes and stepping into the changing room. Cerebella waited patiently, sitting with one leg crossed over the other. "Almost done in there?" She called out.

"D-Don't come in, please..." Came Harry's timid response. When he stepped out, Cerebella smiled.

"All right, lookin' good, kid!" Harry looked down, not sure if he felt the same excitement Cerebella did, but he looked up at her with a smile.

"You really think so?" He asked, a hopeful tone in his voice.

"Yup!" Cerebella gave a closed-eyed smile. "You look great!" He felt happy when he heard those words. "How do they feel?" Cerebella asked. "Do they fit comfortably enough for ya?" Harry nodded.

"They're really nice clothes... I like them..." He said with a small smile. Cerebella smirked and messed up his hair playfully, causing him to giggle.

"That's good to hear, kiddo! Now go and try on these ones..." She passed him another set of clothes, and he obediently went and tried them on. This went on for several minutes. Cerebella smiled, applauded, and hugged the tiny boy as he tried on the different outfits. It was clear he was trying to make her happy, and Cerebella found it to be adorable. After about twenty minutes Cerebella decided she had seen enough and picked up Harry. "Okie-dokie then." She grinned. "I think we have enough."

"But... I don't have any money to pay for them..." Harry said sadly.

Cerebella frowned and tilted her head. "Well, of course you don't, little guy. That's what I'm here for." Harry's eyes widened as he looked at her.

"You're... You're gonna buy all these clothes for me...? You're...You're..." He sniffled. "You're really gonna...gonna...waste your money on..." Sensing he was about to cry again, Cerebella hurriedly scooped him up and carried him into the changing room so they could have some privacy.

It wasn't the broken sobbing boy she had seen at the room, but it was still heart wrenching. Harry was crying more in confusion than anything, and Cerebella hated it. "Wh..why are you so nice to me?!" Harry finally managed to get out.

The greenette gently wiped his tears away and gave him a smile. "I'm nice to you because I care about you, Harry. You're a good kid... You didn't deserve the rotten treatment you got."

"I...I..." He buried his face into her chest and began crying some more, and Cerebella carefully tightened her hold on the little boy, patting his back gently.

"It's okay, buddy... It's okay... I gotcha..." She whispered softly into his ear. Though it pained her to witness his breakdowns... She was glad she could help him through them. She sighed slightly and settled herself down on the seat to comfort the tiny boy. After a few minutes he calmed himself to a slight whimper, but even that died down as he leaned closer to Cerebella, feeling a sense of warmth and protection.

"M-Miss Bella...?" Harry said softly, prompting the greenette to let out a grunt of curious acknowledgement. "I'm...I'm sorry... I cry too much..."

Cerebella leaned down and kissed his temple. "Harry, you do not cry too much... At all... Honestly, I'm surprised you don't cry more after what you've been through." Leaning down, she pressed her forehead against his. "I want you to understand that I'm here for you, Harry... If you wanna cry, then I'm happy to be the one to hold you while you do it."

"Thank you... for not hating me..." Harry replied in a soft voice.

"I don't think I ever could honey." The weightlifter smiled. The two enjoyed a tender moment until Harry's stomach audibly growled. Harry seemed a bit shocked, but Cerebella just giggled. "Aww, you getting hungry again?" She asked playfully. Harry blushed and nodded slowly. Cerebella chuckled. "Well, c'mon, little guy, let's go get this stuff paid for and then we can grab something to eat." After making the trip to the front counter [and getting the woman there to stop cooing over Harry and focus], Cerebella found a fast food restaurant. "Well, it's nothing fancy, but hey... Food's food, am I right?" The tanned woman said with a shrug as she sat Harry down opposite her. "Any idea what you want to eat?" She asked, smiling down at the tiny boy. She wanted him to know that everything was going to be okay, so she figured trying to be a friendly and comforting presence was a good start.

"Umm... I dunno." Harry mumbled, looking away slightly.

"Oh, you've probably never been to a place like this, have you?" Cerebella frowned, mentally noting that she had found him in a trash can eating garbage, so she shouldn't have expected much else... Harry nodded his affirmation at that and Cerebella patted his head gently. "My...My cousin ate food from these kinds of places a lot, but I never got anything..."

Cerebella frowned softly at hearing of this very blatant favoritism against her little guy. "Well... Why don't we just start you out with the kid's meal, yeah?"

"Okay... That sounds good." Harry said with a nod and a small smile. Cerebella smiled, taking one of his tiny hands in her own, not noticing the waitress that had walked up to their table.

"Awww, he's so adorable." The woman smiled down at Harry making the tiny boy blush, the newcomer snapping Cerebella out of her focus on Harry.

The greenette turned to face the waitress and grinned, shrugging her shoulders. "Heh... Yeah, the little guy is pretty adorable, isn't he?"

Harry squeaked in embarrassment and ducked down, trying to make himself seem as small as possible. The waitress giggled. "Okay, what are you two having?" Cerebella settled on the chicken wings for herself, and the kids meal she promised Harry. The waitress wrote their orders down, smiled at Harry once again, giving a friendly wave, then left.

As they waited for their food to arrive, Cerebella looked over at Harry. "So yeah, me and Feng usually come to this place when she doesn't feel like cooking. Food's pretty great. You'll like it."

"Okay, Miss Bella. Thank you." Harry said softly. Vice-Versa reached over and patted the boy's head as Cerebella smiled warmly at him.

Soon enough, their food arrived. Harry perked up when he smelled his burger and fries. "Heh... Dig in, kiddo." The greenette said as she paid the waitress. Harry seemed a bit hesitant, but then his hunger overtook his precautions and he took a bite of his burger, his face almost immediately lighting up.

"It's so good!" He said after he swallowed, almost in amazement that something could taste that good.

Cerebella snickered and reached over to wipe his face. "Got a little ketchup on your lip." She said in amusement, prompting Harry to blush slightly.

"Oops... I'm um...sorry..." He mumbled softly. Cerebella chuckled at his response and shook her head in amusement. He really was a silly boy. Harry looked up at Cerebella, a tiny smile forming on his face.

"Um, Miss Cerebella?" Harry began.

"What is it kid?"

"What is it you do?"

"Excuse me?" Cerebella asked, confused by the question.

"Um... you and Miss Feng, What were you two doing back at the circus?"

Cerebella blinked, then smiled at him. "Aaah, well, y'see, we all have our roles to play there. Beatrix is the magician, Hubrecht's the strong man, Regina does animal shows, Talliesin does puppet shows..."

"Okay, um... But I thought you'd be the strong man...or um...woman... Because Vice Versa's so strong and all..." Vice Versa beamed and flexed proudly.

"Weeell, I'm kind of in-between. I'm a strong woman, a lot like Hubrecht, but I'm also an acrobat, like Feng."

"Oh, okay." Harry nodded, seeming to understand what Cerebella was getting at. "I think you'd be good at it."

"Aww, you're too precious for your own good." Cerebella cooed, gently pinching Harry's cheek, making the tiny boy giggle. A sound she loved to hear. The pair finished their food, and Cerebella let out a sigh of content. "Now that hit the spot!" She said with a grin before looking over at Harry. "How ya feeling, kiddo? Your tummy nice and full?"

Harry nodded his head with a bright smile. "Yes, Miss Bella. Thank you for buying me food." Chuckling, the acrobat picked the boy up and hugged him.

"My pleasure, little guy. Anything to get a smile out of ya." Harry giggled and smiled up at her. The acrobat smiling as the two left the restraint. Cerebella pondered what to do next, she had clothes, she had fed him... well, what was Harry going to do during practices? Hm... maybe she should get him some books and toys. Cerebella decided the best route to get to the toy store would be through an alleyway. "All right, little guy, we're just gonna head on over-" She turned her head just in time to avoid a swing from a knife, instinctively covering up Harry the best she could.

Turning, she saw a group of men, all armed to the teeth, standing before her. "Well, well, you're quite the looker, aren'tcha, hot stuff?" The acrobat simply scowled in response.

"Think I'm scared of a bunch of nameless thugs like you? Please! You have NO IDEA who you're dealing with! Now, unless you wanna get hurt, step out of my way!" Harry was frightened as Vice-Versa suddenly grabbed him and set him to the side, trying to keep him out of harms way. Cerebella currently was taking the thugs down a notch, hitting one square in the jaw, kicking another in the chest, ducking and weaving under the blades they thought could hurt her. Cerebella cared more about keeping them away from Harry right now.

"Don't move or the kid'll get hurt!" She suddenly heard.

The young woman tensed up when she heard that, and she turned to see one of the larger goons, holding back Vice-Versa's arm and holding Harry in one arm, a knife to his throat. Harry was looking at her with a scared expression. "M-Miss Bella...?" He whimpered.

"You Medicis think you're top of the world! Completely indestructible! But guess what? Now you're as helpless as a newborn baby!" The man taunted

"Get your damn hands off of him!" Cerebella roared, stomping forward, only to freeze, as the moment she took a step, the man held the knife closer to the boy's throat, causing him to whimper. "You..." She snarled.

What they didn't know was that another man had been walking by... This man was massive, with a large trenchcoat covering up his bulky body. Ben Birdland was his name, but he also went by his codename: Big Band. He had returned to the city after a near death experience for a trip down memory lane. ...And maybe to bust some Medici heads if the opportunity presented itself. However, as he stepped by a nearby alley, he heard a sound that brought out the instinct to deliver justice he had picked up during his time as a detective.

"All right, gorgeous... We'll let your precious baby boy go... But first...We're gonna have ya do some...favours for us, if ya catch my drift." Cerebella was now being restrained by the rest of the thugs while the big one held Harry at knifepoint.

"Rrrgh..." Cerebella was furious. She knew she could take this wimp down... But if she tried, he would... Scowling, she knew what she had to do... "God damn it... Fine, whatever, just let Harry go!"

"Ah ah ah, can't do that just yet! If we let him go now, you'll take the opportunity to fight back. You gotta finish up first-hey, did it just get darker out? What, nighttime al-"

CRACK!

The man's knife fell to the ground with a clatter as he stared in disbelief at his now shattered arm. Cerebella seized the opportunity almost immediately, moving her arms so that the men holding her down would go flying, then she rushed over, Vice-Versa delivering a right hook that staggered the man just enough for her to snag Harry away. Hugging the scared boy close to her chest, she turned to get a look at her saviour, who was glowering down at the large thug. "So, Mr. Big Shot..." A deep, low voice sounded out. "You think you're a big man?" The thug roared to his feet and went for a haymaker with his good arm...only to shatter his hand on impact. The pain finally catching up to him, he yelled in agony. "Real low, goin' for a young mom and her kid. I think it's high time someone put you in your place."

The rest of the group all yelled and charged the large man and Cerebella. Before Cerebella could react, the large man brought down a fist that seemed to be made of musical instruments, he smashed it onto the top of one thug's head, making him almost cartoonishly spin for a moment, then fall face-first into the ground. He turned and backhanded another thug into a brick wall, or more accurately, through the brick wall. Cerebella grabbed one of the attackers by the arm, and swung him around like she did with her training bags, letting him go and sending him careening towards the end of the alley, crashing into the garbage cans that were stacked down there, causing them to all fall out of their inexplicably pyramid shaped tower, and come crashing down onto the attacker.

Harry closed his eyes and whimpered as the fight happened around him. The thug that had held him at knifepoint was now trembling as he realized how screwed he really was. Without warning, Vice-Versa had slugged him right in the eye, causing him to see stars. Vice-Versa grabbed him again and twirled it's arm around clockwise at blinding speeds, causing the man to scream as his world became a blur of colour. Eventually, Vice-Versa let go, and the man was sent flying through several brick walls before finally coming to a stop when he smashed into a lamppost. Cerebella winced. "Ooogh... Didn't mean to throw him THAT hard... Hope the buildings and lamppost are okay. Heh..." She turned her attention to the little boy in her arms. "Oh my gosh, Harry... Are you okay? He didn't knick you or anything, did he?!" She frantically inspected his neck for any sign of cuts.

Big Band watched the scene with interest. She was with the Medicis, no doubt about that... The outfit was a dead giveaway... But she was certainly not like the others. She clearly had genuine care for this kid... No doubt she was being strung along by that Medici trash... How best to approach this...? He had a feeling outright telling her her 'family' was trash would end badly...

"You two okay?" He finally began, asking what was probably the most important question. Cerebella was still looking Harry over, terrified that he may have been injured.

"Yeah...Yeah, I think we're okay..." She mumbled before hugging Harry tightly. "Oh God... I didn't mean to put you in danger..." The boy was clearly in shock from the situation, snuggling into the woman's embrace with a blank, unreadable expression on his face. Ben felt bad for the little guy.

"Yeah, these allies are full of crooks. Crime's high in this city, that's for sure." Big Band said with a nod. Cerebella turned to him with a small, shaky smile.

"Seriously, big guy, thanks a HEAP for helping us out of that mess... Who knows what they would have done to Harry if you hadn't shown up... And seriously, does it get any cooler than fighting that well with musical instruments? Awesome stuff!"

"Heh, don't mention it." Ben smirked, seeing that the kid was still clearly shocked beyond words. "Listen, it ain't none of my business, but keep the kid close to ya. The city ain't always as nice as it may seem. Those who claim to be your friends may not be what they seem." Cerebella was a bit confused by what she was told, but nodded nonetheless. The large man approached. "I know it's outta nowhere, kid... But trust me, I know all too well what the dark side of town's like. I used to be a detective. One of the best in the field. The things I saw still haunt me to this day..."

"Wow... Is it really that bad here?" Cerebella asked. She had been out on the town many times... But she never knew how bad the crime could get...

"In a town run by the mob...anything can happen, and not a lot of it's good. Just always think clearly about things. Think critically about everyone you meet. Sometimes you'll find something about them that'll change your entire outlook on 'em... For better, or for worse." He then reached into his pocket. "Here... This is my number." Cerebella blinked.

"Uh... Look, you're a really cool guy and all, but..." Ben chuckled.

"Nah, just consider it an emergency number. If ya need help, gimme a call and I'll see if there's anything I can do to help ya out."

"Thanks." Cerebella nodded as the large man began walking away. Harry looked up from where he had hidden himself in Cerebella's chest and mumbled.

"Thank you..." Cerebella wasn't sure if the man heard it or not, but she smiled down at Harry, kissing the top of his head reassuringly.

"It's okay now, little guy... Those nasty jerks are gone now, and they are NEVER GONNA MESS WITH US AGAIN UNLESS THEY WANNA SPEND THE REST OF THEIR MISERABLE EXISTENCE ON LIFE SUPPORT." She turned to the few conscious goons with a snarl, and they winced.

"Y-Yes ma'am..." One of them whimpered. Cerebella took great satisfaction in seeing that many of the thugs had wet themselves at some point during the scuffle. Cerebella sighed and quickly made her way through what was left of the alley. Harry had buried his face into her shoulder again and let the weightlifter rub his back to comfort him.

"Don't worry, you're safe." She cooed. Harry mumbled something into her chest, and she gave him a sad smile. "Heh... You're welcome, little guy... Think I'll get ya a little something extra to make up for getting you in trouble."

Harry looked up at her with a small frown on his face. "You... You don't have to..." Cerebella put a finger to his lips and gave him a friendly smirk.

"Yeah, I know I don't HAVE to. Buuut I'm gonna do it anyway. And you wanna know why?" She kissed his cheek. "Because I WANT to." Harry didn't reply, deciding not to argue with Cerebella. She was the kindest woman he had ever met, and he didn't want to upset her. She had also just been in a fight, and he didn't want her to worry more about him. He simply tried to hug her neck to show his appreciation. Cerebella chuckled at his display of affection and rubbed the back of his head. "Heh... I'll take that as a thank you." She said, giving the boy a wink.

"Y-Yes, Miss Bella... That's what it is..." Harry said softly. The tan woman rested her cheek atop his head and nuzzled him gently, causing him to let out a content coo. Cerebella laughed gently as they stepped out of the alleyway, back into the street, where the sun was shining and showing everything ahead of them. Cerebella continued on her way towards the store, but would cast a glance over her shoulder rather frequently, keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious looking.

Meanwhile, Big Band watched from a corner, looking up from his newpaper he was trying to hide behind as the two walked by. "Poor kid..." he muttered. "No idea what the hell he's gotten himself into... still. That girl. She's different... maybe things'll turn out alright for him."


	4. Chapter 4

"Shut. Up." Feng said with wide horrified eyes as Cerebella told her of her...misadventures she had had that day. The greenette sighed softly.

"Yeah, I know, pretty messed up what happened back there... If that guy hadn't stepped in, I probably would have been used in ways I don't even wanna think about..."

"I can't believe they actually held a knife to his throat... That's just awful!" Feng exclaimed, looking visibly distressed at her roommate's story. Harry was taking a nap in Feng's arms, and the juggler held him closer protectively, cooing to the tiny boy in her arms and kissing his head. "Don't worry baby, me an' Cerebella got ya." She whispered. "And no one's gonna hurt you."

Cerebella smirked. "Damn right." She agreed, ruffling the boy's hair. She sighed softly. "Maybe it would be for the best to just take Beatrix up on her offer to train him."

"Yeah... It would be better for him to have some way of protecting himself if something like that happens again... I just hope she's gentle with him..."

"I'll make sure she is." Cerebella assured. "If Harry comes back to me with tears in his eyes, she'll be leaving with black and purple marks around hers." Harry yawned and squirmed slightly, Feng grinned and readjusted him in her arms, Harry quickly nuzzling down, seemingly happy with his new position.

"Why'd you have to find him..." Feng whined quietly. "I love him so much!"

"Heh, I love the little thing too." Cerebella grinned, gently patting Harry's head.

Feng smiled at the little boy in her arms. "He's so tiny..." She cooed. "He's just like a brand new baby..." Harry began sucking his thumb, and Feng's heart melted.

"Heh... And I thought I was a gooey mess around the little guy." Cerebella teased, nudging Feng lightly with her elbow, eliciting an annoyed pout.

Feng sighed softly as she looked down at Harry, and she couldn't help but wish she had a little Harry to call her own. Well...not literally of course, but...just a cute little boy of her own. "...Bella? D'you think I'd be a good mom?"

"I think you'd be a great mom." Cerebella said without a moment's hesitation, honestly a little surprised her friend even had to ask. "You're great with kids."

"Yeah, and so are you. Don't forget that." Feng smiled back, leaving Cerebella with a puzzled expression.

"Yeah? And what does that have to do with..." She trailed off, her eyes widening as realization seemed to dawn on her. "Oh."

"Heh, I think you get my point." Feng smiled.

Cerebella looked down at the boy in her friend's arms and smiled softly. "Well... I'd be lying through my teeth if I said I was against the idea..."

"Right? So when am I gonna start hearing him call you 'mommy' instead of Miss Bella?" Cerebella shrugged her shoulders and smirked lightly.

"Well, I think I'm just gonna leave that choice up to him... I'll let him decide when he wants to call me that... Don't wanna spring anything on him suddenly, y'know?"

"Heh, I hear ya." Feng smiled, delicately handing Harry back to Cerebella So not to wake him. "I think you should put him to bed though, he's had a big day."

"Fair point, any plans for dinner?" Cerebella asked.

"None yet." Feng shook her head. "But I'll give ya some notice. But seriously, get the poor thing to bed."

Cerebella nodded and rose to her feet, stretching her back slightly and sighing in relief at the satisfying pop sound. "Oof...Been sitting too long..." She mumbled before making her way upstairs, leaving Feng to think about dinner. Cerebella entered her room and laid Harry down in her bed, tucking him under the blankets, such as had become the norm. He nuzzled into the blankets and cooed lightly. Cerebella smiled, then handed him one of the plush toys she had bought for him. A small teddy bear wearing a clown outfit. Cerebella smiled, but sighed none the less, she had hoped that by bringing Harry here, she'd be able to keep him safe. She decided she'd just have to take extra good care of him! She leaned down and planted a kiss on his temple, smiling tenderly at him for a few seconds before letting out a yawn. "Ugh... It HAS been a busy day so far, hasn't it?" She looked at the clock. "Eh...What the heck? I got time for a quick nap." She climbed under the blankets with the boy, and wrapped him up in a gentle embrace. She felt his tiny form nuzzle in closer to her and smiled softly, gently resting her chin atop his head and closing her eyes. Harry mumbled something in his sleep, and though she didn't know what it was, she was sure it was probably very cute.

When the two awoke a few hours later, Cerebella felt something poking her face. She groaned a few times and her eyes lazily opened to see Kitty looking her in the eyes expectantly. "Ay... is it time to feed you already?" The weightlifter groaned, slowly sitting up in bed, still holding the sleeping Harry close. Kitty meowed adorably and the weightlifter smiled and scratched behind his ears. "All right, little guy, I'll fill your bowl up for ya." She climbed out of bed, taking great care not to wake Harry up, then stretched, her back popping slightly. Approaching the bag of cat food in her room, she scooped out a cupful and poured it into kitty's bowl. The small cat eagerly dug into his dinner. Cerebella smiled. Then, her stomach grumbled. "Huh...Wonder if Feng's decided on anything to have for dinner yet." The greenette mused, deciding to go and check in with her friend. As she walked, she felt Harry begin to awaken, squirming slightly in her arms. She smiled and patted his back as he woke.

"Hi honey, sleep well?" She asked with a smile.

"Isweptwell..." Harry mumbled, still waking up. Cerebella giggled at his cute mispronunciation and rested his head against her shoulder.

"That's good to hear." She gave the boy a kiss on the cheek. "All right, little guy, let's go and see if we can't get something to eat, yeah?" She felt the boy nod against her shoulder. She entered the kitchen, then saw Feng at the counter, in the process of preparing something. Cerebella smiled brightly. "Hey, Feng. Whatcha making?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing much." Feng shrugged when she saw her roommate enter. "Figured I should try something different for a change, making an old family stew recipe.

"Hi miss Feng." Harry mumbled, still groggy from his nap.

Cerebella barely had time to blink before Feng was in front of her, hands on her knees and fawning over Harry. "Aww, hi, sweetie..." She cooed before pouting slightly.

"What's up, Feng? Why the pouty face?" Cerebella questioned. Feng gestured to Harry's outfit.

"I was hoping you'd have him dressed up in those adorable tiny footed pajamas you got for him." Cerebella rolled her eyes with a slight chuckle.

"They're for tonight Feng." Cerebella said matter-of-factly.

"But he looks so cute~" Feng cooed. "I just wanna wrap him up in a blanket and cuddle him nonstop!"

"Get in line, girl. First come first serve and all that." Feng's cheeks puffed out like a pufferfish, to which Cerebella responded by playfully poking them.

"Ow. Your nails are really sharp." Feng rubbed her cheek with a small frown. Cerebella grinned sheepishly and looked at her hands.

"Riiight... Yeah, these fake nails are pretty dang pointy, aren't they?"

"I'm surprised you haven't accidentally cut the kid yet." Feng frowned. The thought alone made Cerebella whiten somewhat.

"I...I...I'd never!" She stammered.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Feng said immediately, trying to calm her friend. "I said 'Accidentally', I know you'd never do anything to hurt the poor thing."

Cerebella frowned down at her fingernails. "Right... Right, right, I'd better trim these..." She mumbled. "Hey, Harry, I'm just gonna go trim down my fingernails. Keep Feng company for me, would ya?"

"Okay, Miss Bella." Harry said with a nod. Cerebella set Harry down in a nearby chair and left to go to the bathroom and fix the potential cutting hazard.

"Hiya cutie." Feng smiled, bending down so she was more at his level. "Has anyone told you how cute your are today?" She asked with a closed-eyed smile.

"Uh, Miss Bella has..." Harry replied timidly, not understand what Feng was getting at. The juggler giggled and patted his head.

"Oh she has, has she?" She continued. "Well, then I'll have to tell you too!" Harry felt warm and fuzzy inside. After years of his relatives telling him he was ugly, it was nice to finally be told that he was cute... Just like Dudley had always been told... "Hey, Harry, why don't you help me make dinner? We're having stew." She said with a wink. Harry felt elated at the idea of cooking, and smiled brightly.

"Okay! I like cooking!" He said excitedly. Feng was torn on how to feel about that. She was glad he was happy, but why did he know how to cook? Whatever, she'd ask him later. Holding the tiny boy in one arm, she made sure to keep him away from the boiling mix as she debated what else to put in it. Deciding to ask Harry, she dipped a wooden label into the mix and blew on it to cool it, then let Harry taste it. Harry enjoyed the taste, smiling brightly, then turned to Feng. "Um... I think a little bit of salt would be good... And maybe a little bit of celery..." Deciding to take his word for it, Feng opened up the cupboard to grab some salt and a stalk of celery and sprinkled in the former before carefully chopping up the latter. Harry seemed to watch with great interest, and almost seemed like a celebrity chef watching a newbie try and prepare a dish. However, Harry remained silent, content not only with helping, but with being held my Miss Feng. Soon enough, Feng was satisfied with what she had made. She set Harry down in a chair and poured a bowl of stew for him, placing it before him with a smile.

"There ya go, Harry, eat up!" Feng said with a nod before filling up two more bowls, one for her and the other for Cerebella, who at that moment had walked in.

"All right, nails trimmed. Oh hey, smells good in here..." The greenette took a seat at the table.

"Thanks, Harry helped me make it." Feng said with a smile, making Cerebella raise a brow.

"Oh, really? We have a little chef, do we?" She said playfully, poking Harry's nose, making the tiny boy blush and look away.

"Um...I tried... I dunno if I'm that good though..." The boy mumbled softly, twiddling his thumbs and looking at the floor. Feng gave him a friendly grin.

"Well, only one way to find out." She tried a spoonful of her stew and smiled. "Hey, you were right, Harry! The salt and celery makes a lot of difference!"

"Really?" He asked, looking up at the two.

"Wow this is good!" Cerebella exclaimed. "Seriosusly Feng, what did you do different this time?!" Harry felt a sense of pride, no one had ever complimented his cooking before. It felt nice. The trio ate their dinner in high spirits, Cerebella and Feng chatting animatedly to each other, and even Harry chiming in on occasion, in an excellent mood after having his cooking praised. Cerebella was happy to see him joining the conversation. He was finally opening up more... Sure, he was still very shy... But noticeably less so. At the same time, Feng's stew would help make him seem less like a tiny skeleton who could be blown over by a gentle breeze. While Cerebella didn't expect Harry to become as strong as her, it did her mind wonders to know at least he wasn't eating literal garbage like when she had found him. She assumed he was as tiny and shy as he was due to his family, she also wondered if that's why he was so good at cooking, according to Feng. Had his family made him cook too? She frowned at the thought before noticing her charge looking at her and giving him a small smile, which he returned. Vice-Versa reached over and patted his head gently.

Soon enough, dinner was over, and the trio were seated in front of the TV. Cerebella looked down at Harry. "So...tomorrow's your first magic lesson with Beatrix. You sure you're up for it?" Harry fidgeted nervously in Cerebella's lap, still not used to the 'freaky stuff' being normal, or the fact that someone was going to try and teach him how to control it.

"Mmhmm." Harry mumbled nervously.

"Hey, don't worry." Cerebella said, patting his head. "I won't let her hurt you."

"I know... It's not that, it's just that... My... My aunt and uncle... They said that m- M- The M word was bad... And that I was bad for having it..."

"Aw, Harry... Don't listen to those jerks. You can't let them get you down like that. They're out of your life now. I'm gonna make sure of that." Harry looked up and smiled genuinely at Cerebella.

"Thank you." He said, leaning into her chest. Cerebella replied by leaning forward and planting a long kiss on his forehead, holding him in place playfully as she held her kiss for a good long while, finally pulling back and simply saying:

"You're welcome buddy." Feng smiled at the scene, happy to see Harry was happy. Cerebella truly was good for him. He was opening up to others slowly, yet surely. Cerebella looked up at the clock and then back down at Harry. "Well, little guy, I think it's time for you to go to bed now, okay?" Harry wasn't one to argue, sleep felt nice, and he didn't have to worry about being yelled at for falling asleep anymore.

"Okay." He nodded as Cerebella picked him up. "Night Miss Feng." He said with a sleepy wave.

"Good night my little price." Feng playfully cooed in response.

Cerebella snorted. "I think you mean MY little prince." She said teasingly. Feng threw a peanut at her, only for her to snap it up in her mouth.

"Hmph... You and your reflexes..." The juggler grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest with a pout. Vice-Versa reached over and patted her head. Feng gave Cerebella an annoyed look but said nothing. The tan woman carried the tiny boy to her room and tucked him into bed, making sure he was comfortable. Cerebella notes that while he hadn't been here long, the tiny boy's demeanour seemed to be improving. Good. She grabbed his tiny hand and squeezed it gently, smiling when she felt him squeeze back. She gave him a kiss, then turned and left the room to meet up with Feng and finish their movie.

Harry hugged his teddy bear close and mumbled something in his sleep. "Mama..." His dreams contained not a red haired woman... but a certain tanned greenette. He felt safe and secure, she cared for him. Genuinely and truly, she did. In Harry's dreams she held him close, smothered him with kisses, and told him over and over that she loved him. But that wasn't the best part... The best part was that, in his dream world, she was not just a babysitter... Not just a caretaker... She was his mother. She had told him such comforting words as "Mommy's here" ,"Mommy's got you" and "Mommy loves you. It made him tear up from happiness. Even though, deep down he knew it was only a dream...

Cerebella, meanwhile, sighed as she sat down on the couch. Feng raised a brow and then smiled at her roommate. "You really love him, don't you?" She asked, rather calmly. Cerebella paused, then nodded.

"Yeah. I love him so much. But, I don't know what to do now... I don't want to impose on him, try and make him call me-" Cerebella stopped short then sighed.

"Just give the little guy time. He's bound to say it sooner or later." The petite woman replied with a shrug before holding a bowl towards her friend. "Popcorn?"

"Ah, I thought I heard the popper working. Heh... Thanks, Feng." The acrobat accepted her offer gratefully and tossed a handful of the snack into her mouth. "What movie is this?"

"Gigantic."

"The one about the big ship?"

"Yup!"

"If I suddenly leave, I'm just checking on Harry, okay?" Cerebella said, and Feng grinned mischievously.

"You sure you won't use it as an excuse to leave so you can cry at the sad moments?" The juggler asked, only to be hit by a pillow.

"No." Cerebella replied flatly, hearing the muffled laugh of her friend.

"I can see the teardrops are starting to form already." Cerebella looked away with a huff, crossing her arms over her bosom and pouting.

"Not my fault they made this stupid movie too damn sad. Seriously, why'd they have to kill off James? Stupid boat...Drives me to emotions..."

"Don't you mean, SAILS you to-" Feng began, but was hit with another pillow, this one packing much more force. The juggler was knocked back onto her back and muffled as the pillow almost seemed stuck.

"Reaaal clever, Feng." The stronger woman rolled her eyes. Feng let out a muffled snicker before pulling the pillow off her face and sticking out her tongue.

"You're just mad because you didn't come up with such a hilarious joke." Cerebella flicked Feng's nose and she grabbed it with a whine.

"Well, if you're the brains, then I'm definitely the brawn." Cerebella retorted with a smirk. The pair watched the movie for a bit until Feng spoke up again.

"You really think Beatrix can help Harry?"

Cerebella grimaced slightly and tossed some popcorn into her mouth. "I dunno, Feng... Honestly, I'm worried about what'll happen... I don't want her to hurt the little guy's feelings..."

"Yeah... She's got one heck of a temper on her, doesn't she?" Feng agreed. "But...I mean... Harry is such a cutie... Beatrix has gotta have a heart somewhere down there, right?" Cerebella laughed and shook her head.

"The way she tried to take him... imagine Mama Beatrix!" The joke caught Feng off guard and she choked on her popcorn, which made Cerebella laugh harder. Once Feng collected herself, she began laughing as well. The two chuckled for a few minutes before Cerebella donned a thoughtful expression, as if she was remembering something interesting.

"What's on your mind, Cerebella?" Feng asked with a tilted head. Cerebella turned to look at her, looking somewhat guilty about something.

"Well...When I first introduced Harry to Beatrix, things got a little uh...heated, and...I kinda told her she'd be an abusive bitch of a mom...She looked...pretty upset when I told her that..."

"Huh. I thought Beatirx would be used to hearing insults, considering how frequently you two seem to go at one another's throats." Feng remarked, cocking her head slightly in a mixture of curiosity and confusion. "Wonder what's up with that?"

"I...there was a sense of venom, I wasn't just having a spat wit her, I was actually angry." Cerebella admitted, her face falling. "And I think I was just so shocked at how she was treating Harry, that when she approached him in the tent, I just sorta lost it." The two women remained silent, Cerebella rubbing her arm, until Feng finally spoke.

"Well, while you weren't exactly right in what you said, it's somewhat understandable. In a way, you're the kid's mother now. She sort of threatened him, and you felt the need to protect him. Did you do it the right way? Maybe not. But I still see why you did."

Cerebella bit her lip. "Yeah, but... now that I think about it, the look on her face when I told her that... She looked like someone broke her kitten's paw... D'you think that Beatrix... would actually want to be a mom someday?"

Feng thought about it, face scrunched up in concentration, before turning to her friend with a shrug. "I dunno, Bella... Maybe somewhere, deep down...she might actually want her own Harry, even if she doesn't realize it yet... But...that's just a maybe... No way of telling for sure..." Neither said anything after that for awhile, turning back to watch the movie. The only sounds made were that of the film, and the munching of snacks. Cerebella kept finding her thoughts drifting to Harry, hoping that one way or another things would keep looking up for him. She believed that after so much suffering, the world had finally lifted the dark veil that covered him for so long. Well, she was partially right. But if there's one thing to note about the world, it doesn't much care who the veil covers, or for what reason.

After the movie ended, Cerebella having needed to leave the room several times [Totally not to cry in the bathroom], the two girls decided it was time for bed. "Night, Bella!" Feng called out.

"Night, Feng!" Cerebella called back before the two went back into their room. When Cerebella entered, she found Harry sleeping...and whimpering, and...crying? 'Nononononononononononononononononono!' Cerebella mentally screamed as she rushed forward and practically dove into her bed to comfort the terrified boy. "Harry, Harry?! Wake up!" She practically begged, Harry bolted upright, sheet white, and grabbed hold to the first thing he could, which happened to be Cerebella.

He looked up at her, then...he flinched and let go, looking down at the blankets. Cerebella was now greatly concerned. "Harry...? What's wrong?" Harry sniffled.

His pleasant dreams had, seemingly out of nowhere, took a turn for the horrible.

"M-Miss Bella...? It...It was just a dream, right...? Please tell me it was just a dream... I don't want it to be real..." The boy said in a shakey voice. Cerebella gently grabbed his shoulders and pressed her forehead against his.

"Of course it was, Harry...It was only a dream... Only a dream..." She pulled him into a hug. "Now why don't you tell Miss Bella what it was about?"

Harry hesitated. "You...You punched me...And then you told me you hated me...You always hated me, and...and then you started kicking me and you told me you wished I died before you found me, and...and then you threw me in the garbage, and..." Harry couldn't say any more. He broke down crying violently. "Please don't hate me... Please don't throw me away..." Cerebella felt tears silently flowing down her face as she leaned forward and planted many kissed on the tear-stained boy's face.

"No. No. No. No." She repeated over and over as she kept kissing him, trying to calm him. She finally pulled Harry into a comfy position, his head resting on her breasts and she smiled down through the tears. "I don't hate you. I never could."

"Honest...?" The little boy asked timidly, giving her the cutest, most pitiful puppy eyes she had ever seen. She kissed his forehead once again and rubbed the back of his head.

"I promise you on my life...I will never hurt you. And I will absolutely NEVER hate you..." She was heartbroken... Little kids were supposed to have nightmares about monsters and ghosts... Not their loved ones telling them they hate them before throwing them away like trash... The two sat in comfort for several minutes, Harry slowly calming himself down in Cerebella's warm embrace. Eventually, they were sitting in silence.

"M-Miss Bella...?" Harry's tiny voice cut through the silence. Cerebella looked down at him. He looked apprehensive and nervous. "Can...Can...Can I..." He took a deep breath. "Can I call you mommy...?" Cerebella's eyes teared up again, this time happily as she pulled Harry into a very tight embrace, lying down on her bed and covering the tiny boy's face in kisses once again, before finally saying:

"Of course, baby." She practically whispered, smiling lovingly down at her son. Harry felt tears begin to form in his eyes once again at being accepted. He let out a tiny whimper and pressed himself against her as hard as he could, wanting to be as close to his new mother as possible. Cerebella felt his tears flow onto her dress, and his tiny frame shaking in her arms, and she rubbed his back in a soothing manner. "It's okay... Mommy's here... Mommy's got you..." Harry smiled and leaned into the comforting hug, cooing as Cerebella hummed a comforting tune to her son, the two content to sit where they were in a warm embrace, Cerebella had the biggest grin on her face as Harry fell asleep in her arms, sucking his thumb. "Goodnight sweetie. Mommy's here." She felt a warmth swell up in her heart. The warmth of contentment. Harry called her mommy... He called her mommy! She was a mommy now! Despite it being very much against her tough personality, the acrobat let out a very quiet squee of delight at the idea. "My Harry... My little Harry..." Cerebella suddenly found herself rather exhausted from the ordeal, and decided that this would be a fine time to go to bed. Smiling down at her son, she pulled him as close as she could, and left herself fall asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Feng, ever the early bird, stretched and stepped out of her bedroom, making her way downstairs to the kitchen to make breakfast. She decided a simple meal of bacon and eggs would be just fine for today. As she cooked the food, she noticed Harry and Cerebella walk in, looking tired, yet extremely happy. "Well, you two seem to be in high spirits today." Feng chirped.

Harry seemed to snuggle back in towards Cerebella and murmered a happy "Mama." Feng dropped the plate she was holding with a gasp, her eyes going nearly as big as said dropped plate. She looked from Harry to Cerebella, then back again almost cartoonishly quickly.

"M...mama?!" Feng finally got out.

Cerebella gave her friend a proud smirk and hugged the boy tightly to her bosom. "Ya heard it right here, Feng! I'm his mama now." She said with a wink.

"Oh...my...gosh... So then he actually said it...?" The petite woman asked, a large smile slowly growing on her face. Cerebella nodded in affirmation. "Yay!" The pink-now-green-haired woman cheered as she ran over and hugged the two, making Cerebella laugh and Harry giggle at her girlish delight. "That's amazing~!"

"Yeah, I really is." Cerebella smiled, looking down at Harry, who was happily smoshed between the two women. She gently bounced her adopted son up and down in her arms. "Heh...Can you believe this, Feng? Me...a mom... I thought I'd be at least thirty before that happened..."

"Yeah... You and your bleeding heart." Feng replied, winking at her friend, who chuckled and playfully punched her shoulder. "Eek! Strength, Bella!"

"Don't care, hugging my boy." Cerebella replied, shaving back and forth with a happy grin as she looked down at Harry, who was in and out of sleep in her arms. "Wakey wake baby, time for breakfast."

"Mmkay mama..." Harry mumbled, stretching as he tried to wake himself up. "I'm awake now..." Cerebella kissed his cheek and sat him down at the table, choosing to take the seat next to him.

"Thanks for breakfast, Feng." Cerebella said to her friend, who was still massaging her arm with a pout. The juggler took her spot and began eating. Cerebella picked up a forkful of Harry's food and held it up to him. "Open wide!" She sing-songed, and Harry hungrily opened his mouth, allowing his mama to feed him. Feng laughed at the interaction between the two. It really was precious. This continued for some time until all of Harry's food was gone. Cerebella then focused on eating her own breakfast, and soon the trio had finished eating. "Okay...Almost time for work..." Cerebella looked at Harry. "So...today you learn magic with Beatrix... You ready for it?"

Harry's good mood changed to a timid, nervous demeanour. "Um...I...I think so... Um... She's not gonna hurt me...is she...?" He asked.

"Not unless she wants to be in a full body cast." Cerebella replied with a wink. Harry didn't like the idea of Miss Cerebella getting into a fight again or anyone getting hurt in general, but he understood what his mama meant, and he nodded, looking up at her.

"Thank you mama." He said, still ever so slightly timid about calling her that. Feng's eyes turned to hearts when she heard that however, finding it to be the cutest thing she'd ever seen or heard.

Cerebella chuckled and patted her boy's head, taking great pleasure in hearing those words. "Well, I guess we'd better get going." She held Harry up to eye level. "Let's get you dressed. Can't have you wearing your jammies everywhere."

"Ah, forget social stigmas and let him wear the pajamas. He looks too cute to take them away now." Feng said, waving her hand at the acrobat. Cerebella frowned, thinking it over before chuckling and shaking her head.

"As much as I don't want Beatrix to think I'm mocking her... you've got a point. He's WAY too adorable to take out of these clothes." Harry blushed slightly at their words and looked down, trying to hide his embarrassment as Cerebella scooped him up.

He nuzzled closer into his mother and smiled in content, causing her to chuckle as she carried him out the door. "Wait up!" Feng called after them, jogging forward to catch up.

When the trio reached the big top, the rest of the Cirques de Cartes were there, practicing their respective acts. Beatrix was near the corner, as usual, when she noticed the trio approach her. Though she didn't express it outwardly, she was clearly pleased...until she noticed Harry's outfit. "...Why is the kid still in his pajamas?"

"Cause he's cute." Cerebella replied with a shrug. Beatrix stared flatly at her before her palm met her face and slid down slowly. Cerebella snickered.

"Whatever." The magician rolled her eyes before addressing Harry. "So, little guy. Do you have any grasp on your gifts?"

"My...my gifts?" Harry replied. "What gifts?" Normally Beatrix would react in annoyance, but with both Cerebella being present and understanding a little of the kids past, she decided to play it safe.

"Your magic. Or the 'freaky stuff' as you seem to call it."

"Oh...Um...Not really...It just kinda, sorta...happens..." The boy mumbled softly. Beatrix frowned and crossed her arms underneath her bust.

"So you haven't had any practice whatsoever, huh? Well, guess that means I'm working with a blank slate then." The magician shrugged her shoulders. "So, I wanna start small, I wanna ask you some questions." Beatrix continued. "When your magical accidentally happens, do you feel anything? Warm, cold, anything like that?" Harry paused, thinking about when his magic had gone off. Sometimes it had happened when he was scared, and sometimes it happened when he was just trying to remain calm.

"Um. It happened a bit when I was scared." He replied.

Beatrix nodded. "Right, right, that's normal. It's a defense mechanism. Your magic does everything it can to protect you. Just think of it as an invisible guardian."

"Oh...Okay... Invisible guardian..." Harry nodded to show he understood. Cerebella chose that moment to step in and speak to Beatrix.

"All right, Beatrix, listen close. You'd better be nice to him, all right? He's seen some messed up stuff, and he's scared and shy. Don't do anything that'll hurt his feelings." Beatrix wordlessly nodded before turning back to Harry.

"Okay little guy, I want you to think about... hm..." the magician paused then snapped her fingers. "Something warm, either food, or a memory, just something that makes you feel warm. This'll help attach feelings to magic to make it easier to use later."

Harry thought about it. "Something that makes me feel...warm..." He said softly before closing his eyes and thinking hard. What made him... He barely had to think about it for a second. His mommy. His mommy made him feel warm. He thought of her and all the love she had given him so far. A tiny smile formed on his face as suddenly, a tiny orange light began to appear in front of him. When Harry saw it, his natural paranoia-about-magic kicked in and he gasped, making it dissapear.

"Wow." Beatrix blinked, genuinely surprised. "That was really good for your first try!"

"R...really?" Harry asked timidly.

"I mean, yeah! Most people need a lot more training to even summon a tiny spark! You got that without any issue, you've got some real power in you." Harry looked down bashfully and twiddled his thumbs, not at all used to being praised for the freaky stuff. Cerebella knelt down and hugged him close.

"All right, buddy, mommy's gonna go practice now. I'll just be right over there if you need me for anything, okay?" She asked, kissing his forehead. Beatrix's jaw dropped when she heard 'mommy', but quickly collected herself.

'Yeah, I guess if anyone would adopt him...' She mentally mused. 'Still, if I get to teach him, that's something.' Harry turned back to miss Beatrix, seeming to wordlessly ask what to do next. Beatrix looked back at him and nodded. "Okay, just do what you did before, except this time, try not to panic when you see the spark."

"Right...Okay..." Harry squeezed his eyes shut tight and focused as hard as he could, putting the images of Cerebella back in his head.

"Yes, there it is, keep it up..." Beatrix encouraged. "Whoa...Holy crap...This spark is HUGE!" Harry opened his eyes to see the large ball of magic energy in his fingertips.

"Now what?" Harry asked, slightly nervous.

"Toss it up in the air, as high as you can!" Beatrix instructed. Harry blinked then tried to throw the ball up into the air. The golden ball flew up, then burst into a beautiful shower of golden sparks. Beatrix smirked and crossed her arms as she watched the golden shower come down, feeling immensely satisfied at what she saw. "Not half bad, kid." She complimented.

"Um...Thank you, Miss Beatrix..." The magician nodded. This boy was a true prodigy. No doubt destined for greatness. To be the one to train him to that point... Why, by proxy alone, she would surpass Cerebella!

"All right, little man... You did great there, but that's just a basic spell. If you REALLY wanna seize control of your magic, we're gonna need to work on some of the bigger stuff. But hey...baby steps, right?" Harry nodded, this time feeling a tiny bit of pride with his accomplishment. Beatrix had him repeat the excercise a few times, and after a little bit, Harry seemed to be getting a better grasp of what to do. Beatrix smirked pridefully. "Excellent work. Now let's work on...transporting objects." She pulled out a small coin and held it in her hand. "Okay, watch this..." She put her hand over the coin, mumbled some words Harry had never heard before... And then there was a small burst of light, and when she moved her hand, the coin was gone. Harry looked curiously down at her hand, and she smirked and pointed to Feng.

"Uh...Hang on, I think there's something in my shoe..." Feng mumbled, removing her shoe. "...Ugh...AGAIN with the coin, Beatrix?!" She huffed, stomping her foot. Beatrix chuckled as she looked back down at Harry, producing another coin.

"Alright, now you try." She said with a smile, while Harry seemed apprehensive about it. "Aw, don't worry little guy. If you don't get it right the first time, that's okay." Harry looked up at her, then nodded his head slowly and took the coin. He put it in his palm and closed his eyes, focusing on Cerebella once again... It took a little bit more effort, but eventually, the coin vanished from his hand. Harry looked down when he no longer felt it in his palm and smiled.

"I did it!" He exclaimed, before frowning. "Oh...But...I don't know where it went..." Beatrix crossed her arms over her chest.

"It should be going where you were thinking about. So...It's probably hit Cerebella on the head right now."

"Ow!" Cerebella suddenly exclaimed. "Beatrix!" Harry's eyes widened comically and he seemed horrified of what he had done. He had hurt Cerebella! The woman who took him in, she would hate him now, she wouldn't want to be his mother, she-

"Sorry! The kid was trying some magic, I didn't explain it well enough!" Beatrix called back.

"Oh, never mind then." Cerebella replied with a wave.

"S-Sorry, mommy...!" Harry called over timidly. Cerebella just smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up. He sighed in relief, then turned back to his teacher.

"All right, let's give that another shot. This time, focus really hard on the place you want the coin to end up. Liiike... on that bench over there." Harry nodded, then held another coin. He focused as hard as he could... He imagined his adopted mother was seated on the bench...And the coin vanished. This was followed by an "Agh!" And a Crash! As Feng fell to the ground, instead of being Caught by Cerebella.

"Huh? What the heck?" Cerebella looked around wildly. And then the coin fell on her again.

Beatrix let out a snicker at seeing the accident. "Well, that's a bit of a problem." She said, trying to keep her amusement in check. "I told him to try and get the coin to the bench. Since his magic works best when he's thinking about you, he must have sent you there by mistake."

Cerebella blinked, then let out a low chuckle and patted her boy's head. "Aww, don't feel bad, little guy." She cooed, seeing his sad and scared expression. "Accidents happen."

"MMM!" The group turned to see Feng lying on the floor, her head lodged in the ground and her butt sticking up embarrassingly in the air. Cerebella laughed as she made her way over to where her friend was trapped, with one pull, she freed Feng, and accidentally tosssed her into the air. Harry, Cerebella and Beatrix watched the screaming Feng get launched through the tent, right outside, and when she landed, they heard a loud splat.

Cerebella slowly turned to look at Harry and Beatrix. "...Okay... So I'm just gonna... go and pull Feng out of the elephant poop now..." She said, trying not to laugh. Harry still seemed nervous, like he had had done something wrong. Beatrix noted this and gently patted his head.

"Hey little guy, you're doing great," She said with a smile. Harry looked up and replied quietly.

"Thanks..." He looked down again and twiddled his thumbs. "I gotta learn to control my fre-My magic fast... I just got Miss Feng hurt..." The boy mumbled.

Beatrix nodded. "Well, that's what we're here for. Just give it one more try, and this time, maybe keep your old lady out of it when you do it."

Harry looked confused. "My mommy's not old though... She's really young..." Beatrix shrugged, then handed the boy another coin.

"Okay, try putting it...in that ash tray over there." Harry nodded obiedently and focused once again, this time the coin disappeared, then appeared in the ash tray, nothing else seeming to go wrong. "Good job!" Beatrix beamed. She smirked lightly. "You catch on fast, kid. Even faster than I did when I was your age. Okay, now let's try the summoning charm..." She pointed towards a nearby bucket. "Accio bucket." Harry blinked as the bucket flew off the ground and landed at her feet with a clang. "Simple, right? Just focus on what you want, and it'll come right to you."

Harry thought about what he wanted to summon. He DID want to tell Miss Feng he was sorry... "Accio Miss Feng." He said in concentration. Beatrix smiled in amusement, knowing what Harry was trying to do, but he was probably still to small to transport someone in another ro-

Beatrix's eyes widened in shock and amazement as Feng suddenly appeared, now clearly drenched in water and was in the process of drying herself off. Harry seemed shocked himself, but neither one was as shocked as Feng, when she realized what had happened.

"AGH!" She exclaimed, trying to cover herself with her towel.

Beatrix burst into laughter at the sight of the smaller woman. "Oh my God, at this point you and Harry could just have a freaking comedy act, Feng!"

Feng pouted and covered herself up tighter. "S-Stop laughing at me, Beatrix, I'm having a bad enough day already!" The juggler whine.

"I'm...I'm sorry, Miss Feng..." Harry mumbled, twiddling his thumbs nervously. "I...I'm sorry I'm putting you through all this stuff... I'm not doing it on purpose..."

"Daw, it's fine honey." Feng cooed, doing her best to give a reassuring smile, trying not to be upset with Harry, and trying to hide her annoyance at Beatrix, both of which was much harder than expected because Beatrix kept laughing. "But... how did you do that!?"

"The kid... oh geez, hang on..." Beatrix wheezed, still laughing. "The kid's magic is AMAZINGLY powerful!" Harry looked down bashfully and tapped his index fingers together as Beatrix continued. "Seriously, his old family completely wasted his potential! I can only imagine what he'll be capable of when he's older!" Feng gave the boy a smile before feeling a chill run down her spine. She looked over and saw Talliesin's lecherous smile and tensed up.

"...I HAVE TO GO!" She shrieked before running out of the tent to finish her shower. Beatrix scowled at Talliesin and slowly ran a finger across her neck. He just smirked and mouthed something to her. She didn't know what exactly he said, but she knew it was yet another 'compliment' about her ass.

"Is Miss Feng Alright?" Harry asked, worried he had done something wrong.

"No, Talliesin's just... y'know what? Just avoid Taliesin as much as you can." Beatrix answered honestly, and somewhat annoyed. "Trust me little guy, you'll be doing yourself a favour."

"Oh, okay."

Beatrix turned to flip Talliesin the middle finger before turning her attention back to Harry. "Okay, so you got the summoning charm down pat. Try this one..." And so this went on for the rest of the day, Harry learning to perform simple, basic spells, most of which wound up inconveniencing Feng in some way, shape or form.

"Uuuuugh... Why me?" Feng whined, completely covered in honey and feathers, causing her to resemble a chicken. A few hours later and practice had finished, and Cerebella made her way back to her son. Smiling down at him as he and Beatrix were seated on the floor, practicing creating coloured lights.

"Hey honey, how's training?" She asked kindly.

"The kid's amazing Cerebella." Beatrix admitted, admiration in her voice. "He's picked up on things that would take others months or even years to learn!" Harry had no trace of fear or anxiety on his face anymore. After hours of getting used to his talents, he had a newfound appreciation for them.

"Mama, magic's not scary at all! Magic's cool!" The little boy exclaimed, tossing some colorful sparks into the air to create a firework show.

Cerebella chuckled and picked her son up in a hug. "Glad to hear it, bud." She looked at Beatrix. "Well, I have to say, I'm impressed. You didn't traumatize the little guy." Beatrix just rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm glad someone actually knew how to help him in this case." She retorted. While Harry didn't understand what was said, Beatrix's eyes narrowed, somewhat agistated by the comment.

"Whatever." She muttered. Cerebella looked down at Harry and rubbed his back before turning to the approaching Feng. "Hey, Feng? Can ya take Harry back home? I want to have a little talk with Beatrix."

"Sure thing, Cerebella!" Feng said with a nod, taking Harry into her arms and walking away with him, cooing and kissing his face. Cerebella smiled before turning back to Beatrix.

"What's this about, moss head? I do something you don't like? I was being nice to your kid." Beatrix huffed.

"Hey, easy, Beatrix, I'm not mad... I just..." Cerebella sighed. "Look, Beatrix... We're both gonna be a part of Harry's life now... I'm his mom, you're his teacher. And since we're both really important to him, I don't want us to constantly be at each other's throat anymore. I don't know why you hate me, but can we please put it aside? For Harry's sake?"

"Alright." Beatrix replied with a shrug.

"Wh-What?! Really?!" Cerebella sputtered in shock.

"Fine, sure. Whatever." The magician replied. "If it helps the kid, it'll probably help his magic. But I need you to stop thinking every little thing I do is going to kill him." She ended flatly.

"Huh... I was not expecting it to be that easy... I was expecting you to throw in at least a few nasty remarks about me, heh... Well...Thanks, Beatrix..."

"Make no mistake, by no means does this make us friends. You're still my rival, and I'm aiming for your spot until the day I die." Beatrix said with her arms crossed under her breasts.

"Yeah, well, don't expect him to call you 'mom', and we're okay." Cerebella replied but then regretted what she said. Beatrix seemed a bit taken aback, but grumbled something inaudible and walked off. Cerebella sighed and shook her head and decided to go catch up with Feng and Harry, and to see how things were going. Her two favourite people besides Vitale were seated comfortably on the sofa, watching the TV. Cerebella smiled and joined them, pulling Harry into her lap. Harry let out a small, happy hum at being back in his mother's arms. "So, kiddo... How was your first day training with Miss Beatrix?" The tanned woman asked.

"It was kinda fun, mama. Miss Beatrix isn't as scary as I thought she was. She was actually really nice to me." Harry said, happiness evident in his tone. Cerebella smiled and patted his head.

"That's great to hear sweetie, but you know if she ever hurts you, you come to me, kay?"

"Okay mama. But I don't think she will..." Harry said, his voice full of childhood innocence.

Feng looked over at Cerebella and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'm with Harry, Cerebella. Beatrix seemed unusually happy when she was teaching him."

"Yeah, I noticed that..." Cerebella said with a light smirk. "Pretty weird seeing Beatrix actually happy, isn't it? I seriously thought he face would crack if she actually smiled." Feng chuckled and shook her head.

"Yeah... But she was right. Harry's magic was crazy! He was pulling you and I around like we were nothing!"

"You're not nothing!" Harry blurted out, trying to hug Feng, afraid he had offended her. This took the two women aback, and eventually they just laughed.

"No honey, it's an expression, it's like saying it was super easy." Feng explained calmly, returning the hug.

"Oh... Well... I DID have to concentrate really, really hard..." Harry said softly. "But... I guess it really wasn't that hard... But I'm sorry I hurt you so much, Miss Feng..."

Feng snorted. "You kidding? You have no idea how many times your mother turned my life into some kind of slapstick comedy routine when we were practicing." Harry giggled slightly, and Cerebella hugged him again.

"Don't worry about it squirt." The weightlifter said with a wide grin. "Accidents happen, and it's your first day! You're doing great!" Harry, for the first time in his life, felt pride swelling up in his chest. Finally, he had a reason to feel proud of himself! Cerebella noticed and messed up his hair. "Heh... Someone's looking pretty proud. Guess this whole thing's gonna be good for helping you build up self confidence." She said with a smirk.

"Thank you, mama." Harry said happily, snuggling closer to her, Cerebella giggled and nuzzled the top of his head.

"Hm. I think you need a bath." She smiled. "I can't let my son practice smelling all filthy now, can I?" Harry blushed slightly in embarrassment and nodded his head. Cerebella stood from the couch and began making her way upstairs to the bathroom. She turned the tub on, making sure the temperature was just right for a little boy, then carefully removed his shirt and set him in slowly. She winced. She had hoped the second time seeing the scars would be a bit easier... But it was just as horrible as it was the first time and furthered her desire to beat the boy's old 'family' into a red smear. She didn't show it though, instead she just grinned and beared it as she set Harry into the bathtub. He winced for a moment, then seemed to relax in the warm water. Sighing in content, Cerebella coated her hands with shampoo and set to watching Harry's hair. She noted that while it was much cleaner, it needed to be cut. Or at least styled, she thought he looked adorable with his longer hair, but it was too tangled to be a style. Well, she could deal with that later... Right now she would focus on cleaning him off... She carefully cleaned the shampoo out of his hair, taking great care not to get any into his eyes. Then she gently scrubbed down his entire body with a soapy loofah, which caused him to wince slightly. Soon enough, he was clean to her liking. She leaned down to kiss the top of his head and crossed her arms over her chest, deciding to allow him to soak in the tub for a little bit longer. She found a rubber ducky under the sink [Feng thought she didn't know about it] and handed it to him. Harry looked a bit confused by it, but when Cerebella made it squeak, she grinned at his giggle. Harry squeaked it, then giggled again, Cerebella thought his laugh was one of the cutest things she had ever heard. Harry was now pushing the duck back and forth, watching it float about, it was cute how he could be so absorbed in something so... mundane to some people. She leaned against the wall with a smirk, content to just watch her adopted son play in the bath. He really was too precious for words... She considered herself to be a very lucky woman. A good, loving family, a fun, stable job... And now, the cutest little bundle of love was her son. Harry giggled as Cerebella playfully splashed a little bit of water at him, he returned the gesture and managed to splash her a little, earning a laugh from the woman. This was what she had wanted, she never really knew that she wanted kids until now, but now... She knew this was all she wanted in life. She made a mental note to pick the boy up some bubble bath next time she went into town, knowing that he would love the bubbles more than the ducky. Soon enough, when she noticed him starting to get pruney, she patted his head. "All right, kiddo, I think it's time for you to come out of the tub now." Plucking him up, she wrapped him in a towel and set to drying him off. Harry began laughing as she dried him with the towel. Smirking at his laughing face, she twirled about with a smile before taking him back to their room and getting him changed into some more pajamas. This time she settled on a simple blue top and pants. Not quite as adorable as his tiny footed pajamas, but hey... pajamas were just naturally a cute look for a little kid.

She hugged her boy close and stroked his back, feeling him snuggle in closer. Gently, she rocked him back and forth in her arms. He became drowzy. "Good night, mommy... I love you..."

"D'aww... I love you too baby." Cerebella cooed, kissing his forehead as she gently lowered him onto her bed, tucking him under the blankets, Harry gave a tiny yawn and seemed to squirm for a minute, then dropped off to sleep. She gave her son's hand a gentle squeeze before gently placing his stuffed bear in his arms. Then, she watched with a fond smile as he cuddled it close. "Sweet dreams, buddy..." She whispered softly before planting a kiss on her adopted son's cheek, her heart melting when he mumbled out "Mama..." in his sleep.

Beatrix meanwhile, was twirling a knife with her magic, deep in thought. She was amazed boy how powerful Harry was, how did a little boy get magic so potent and powerful? She smiled, seeing how she seemed to have helped him in a way Cerebella couldn't, getting him over his fear of magic. She frowned though, she had sensed something rather off about him, not his shy and somewhat paranoid personality (which Beatrix had to admit, was kinda cute) but there was something buried deep inside, possibly unknown to Harry. It almost seemed like dark magic. And it was all buried deep within that scar of his... That scar was clearly not natural, and she wanted to get to the bottom of it. Buf she didn't know how to go about doing so... Well, all she could do for now is continue training the kid and gain his trust. Then, after that, could she try and figure out just what was up with that scar. She smirked slightly, remembering the look of absolute wonder in his eyes when he began to get control over his magic, it was as if some invisible and immovable weight had been lifted off of him, and for the first time in his life, he could finally have control over something. While she didn't want to admit to it, she had to concede that Cerebella was probably a big help in getting him to warm up and not be so terrified of his own shadow.

She sighed softly and crossed her arms over her chest. Yes, it was probably for the best that she didn't end up taking him away... Cerebella was mom material, and she... She was Beatrix. She looked down slightly at that and remembered what Cerebella had said to her after the first time she met Harry... How she would be an abusive bitch of a mom... Was it true...? She liked to tell herself she would be a better parent than her own mother, who abandoned her to live alone with a psychotic, controlling monster of a father... But would she really...? The knife fell as Beatrix found herself feeling... cold, not indifferent, the kind of cold that came often with sadness. She sighed, rubbing her arm somewhat. She knew she wouldn't do that to a kid... right? Well, she had accidentally terrified him, and attacked Cerebella... She groaned in frustration and clapped her palm against her face with an audible smack. She grumbled a curse directed at her own short temper.

"I'm sorry, kid..." She muttered to herself. Her pride would never let her admit it, but she genuinely felt bad for scaring the kid to the point of tears. Still, that was then. Somehow, despite everything, the kid decided to give her a chance to prove she wasn't as bad as she seemed. Beatrix had no intentions of ruining that, so if she had to play nice with Cerebella, so be it. Aside from Harry potentially being the next magical prodigy, it was nice to have someone else with magic, and Beatrix found she enjoyed teaching him. That was the first time she felt legitimately happy since...well...ever, really. Her own life experiences had embittered her to the world around her and resulted in her becoming quite hard to please. Yet little Harry Potter had managed it without even really trying to. Something about that boy was strangely pleasant. Ordinarily, she would have found his crippling shyness rather annoying, but for him, it just sort of...worked. Add to that his voice wasn't one of pride or snark, but one of hopefulness and genuine joy whenever she said he did something right, and while she'd kill someone before she ever said this aloud, the pajamas were kind of adorable. But if anyone tried to get her to say it, they'd probably end up with a mouthful of broken teeth. Shaking her head, she went back to sharpening her knives, feeling quite a bit lighter than she had before. Tomorrow she would teach Harry more...


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Cerebella was awake, sitting in her bed, gently cooing and playing with Harry. The tiny boy giggled as the woman playfully poked his nose before tickling his ribs. Cerebella loved listening to her son's laugh. A happy Harry was what she wanted to see all the time. It was such a far cry from his usual demeanour, and she adored it.

Then, eventually, she smelled breakfast cooking downstairs and stepped out of her bed, stretching slightly with a long grunt. "All right, buddy, let's go eat."

"Hi, guys, I'm making crepes today." The juggler announced. Cerebella gently sat Harry down, then took her own seat at the table with a smile.

"Awesome! Thanks, Feng." She said with a smile, watching as Feng set her plate in front of her. Harry's eyes seemed to sparkle at the food. He had been forced to make these before, and they always looked really good but he was never allowed to have them. Feng smiled at his amazed look and kissed his head.

"Enjoy, sweetie!" She cooed. Harry obediently began to eat his breakfast, savouring the flavours. After breakfast, Cerebella took Harry upstairs to get him dressed for the day.

"All right, kiddo, day two of training with Beatrix! You excited to see what else you can learn today?" Harry nodded his head in affirmation. Cerebella grinned widely, feeling a sense of pride at her son's newfound confidence and acceptance of his gifts. She had to give that one to Beatirx, she had worked wonders in that regard, and it made Cerebella immeasurably happy to see her tiny boy not in the timid, traumatized state she had found him in. Picking him up and hugging him close to her bosom, she stepped outside and made her way to the tent where Beatrix waited, leaning against a wall with her arms crossed, nodding in acknowledgement and smirking when Harry and Cerebella approached.

"Hey there, Harry. You ready for day two of your training?" Harry smiled sincerely and nodded his head, much to the magician's liking. He no longer feared his magic.

"Well, I know you're gonna do great!" Cerebella said with a wide grin. She scooped up her son and twirled around, holding him up in the air. "Maybe someday you'll do magic and I can do acrobats together!"

"Really?!" Harry exclaimed, seeming thrilled at the notion.

Cerebella grinned and nudged him with her elbow. "Hey, you've already got a budding comedy act with Feng, anything's possible at this point!"

"Aww come on, stop bringing up my misery!" Feng exclaimed indignantly, stomping her foot and pouting. Then a dumbbell fell on her head, causing her to stagger about with stars circling her vision, eventually stumbling out the door.

"Sorry!" Hubrecht called out. A muffled thump thump thump could be faintly heard as Cerebella's eyes widened, realizing her friend had probably just fallen down the stairs.

"Miss Feng...?"

"She'll be okay." Cerebella said reassuringly to Harry, smiling down at him. "Okay, have fun with Beatrix, buddy." Beatrix had been laughing hysterically at the scene before her, doubled over and clutching at her stomach, fighting for breath through the laughter.

"Miss Beatrix, Miss Feng being hurt isn't funny... She doesn't deserve to get beat up all the time..." Beatrix laughed harder in response, until Cerebella gave her a light whack on the head.

"Ahem... Right... I needed that. Seriously, though, think that girl would be willing to pull double duty as a clown? Her little pratfalls are just too epic to go to waste!" Harry frowned, but eventually Beatrix collected herself, and patted his tiny head. "Alright buddy, what do you remember from yesterday?" She asked, smiling down at the tiny boy. Harry seemed to be deep in thought, thinking back to his last lesson. First, he created the magical golden sparks. Then he did the fireworks. Then he transported a nearby bucket of water downstairs, where, unbeknownst to him, it all dumped onto Feng. Finally, he used the summoning spell to bring Feng back upstairs.

"Uuuuugh... I just can't stand it..." The juggler grumbled. Harry, feeling bad for his mother's best friend, approached and gave her a hug. "Heh, this makes it better." She said with a smile, patting Harry's back. She gave him a quick hug then sent him back to Beatrix, who still seemed rather entertained.

"Again, you two should start a show."

Harry twiddled his thumbs. "A show where I hurt Miss Feng...? I can't do that... She's family..." Beatrix had to chuckle lightly at that, crossing her arms.

"With how close she is with Cerebella, wouldn't you say she's less 'Miss Feng' and more 'Auntie Feng'? Cerebella's your mom, why not bridge that little gap too?" Harry's eyes widened. Auntie Feng...? Miss Feng...as his auntie? She would certainly be a better auntie than his Aunt Petunia, that much was certain... "Y'know what? We can talk about that later." Beatrix said, trying to bring Harry's focus back to magic. "Okay, I wanna try something new."

For the next hour, Beatrix taught Harry how to levitate small objects. It took him multiple try to figure it out, but eventually he figured it out. However, he accidentally lifted up one of Feng's plates... and proceeded to unknowingly drop it on her head.

"Ow!" Harry covered his eyes and shouted out a profuse string of apologies. Feng sighed, but she really just couldn't bring herself to be mad at him. "It's okay, Har- Ow! OW!" The rest of the plates hit her next. "Ugh... Why is it always me?" She scowled at the laughing Beatrix and even Cerebella was snickering. Harry still seemed saddened that he hurt Feng by accident, but Beatrix put a hand reassuringly on his shoulder.

"Don't worry kid, you're still figuring this out. Besides, Feng's tough." Feng overheard the two and wanted to say something in protest, but didn't want to upset Harry, so she decided to grin and bear it. The two kept practicing. Beatrix set a ball down and instructed Harry to lift it and move it. Harry nodded his head obediently, then stared at the ball, his face scrunching up in concentration. After a few seconds, the ball began to move around the room.

"Well, hello there, Beatrix! Harry!" Hubrecht's voice distracted Harry, causing him to drop the ball in front of the approaching strong man's foot. "Whoops!" The massive man slipped forward and fell. Right in Feng's direction. Feng watched the giant man's shadow bear down on her, and at this point, the only emotion she could muster up was exasperation at the inevitable crushing.

SMASH!

Hubrecht laughed heartily. Feng's muffled scream could be heard from under the giant as he picked himself up. Slowly Feng peeled herself off the ground, groaning as she did so. "Ow..." She moaned, shaking her head.

Hubrecht hoisted her to her feet, and she stumbled about dizzily. "Sorry about that, Feng! The funniest thing happened! I slipped on something, and landed right on top of ya! I sure hope I didn't hurt you! Hahaha!" The giant clapped a hand across her back in a friendly manner.

"EEEEEP!" Feng shrieked as she flew through the tent and smashed facefirst into a concrete wall outside. Hubrecht rubbed the back of his head, Harry winced and Beatrix laughed.

"Might have to put Hubrecht in your little comedy routine, hmm, Harry?" Hubrecht took interest in what Harry and Beatrix were doing.

"Hey, are you two practicing magic? Can I watch?! Can I?! Can I?! Can I?!" The large man jumped up and down excitedly. Beatrix rolled her eyes, exasperated as ever by Hubrecht's general personality.

"Sure, just don't get in the way." The two practiced for a few hours more. Slowly but surely Harry seemed to be gaining control over levitation spells, and he hadn't accudentally hurt Feng for a bit (that he knew of) and the large man was watching in amazement at the two's display of magic.

"Hey, Harry, try using a spell on me!" The giant exclaimed. "Just gimme anything ya got!" Harry looked unsure, but Beatrix looked thoughtful.

"Harry, we're gonna do a little weight test. You're going to find out just how heavy an object you can transport by transporting it over to Hubrecht here, who's gonna catch it and hold it. We'll start off small and work our way up. Pass him...this apple. Harry nodded, focusing his energy onto the fruit, and extended his hand. Slowly, the fruit lifted off of the table, and Harry slowly turned, moving the fruit across the room. Beatrix smiled, a sense of pride in her face as she watched Harry complete the task.

Hubrecht was ready, and when the fruit arrived, he expertly caught it in one hand. "Haha! Got it!" He took a bite of the apple. "Mmm... Juicy!"

"...Damn it, Hubrecht, that came from MY lunchbox." Beatrix said with a facepalm. Hubrecht held the now half eaten apple back out to her.

"Sorry, Beatrix! Want it back?" She just glared at him, annoyed, before turning back to Harry.

"All right, let's try that bucket next." Harry nodded and focused, using the technique Beatrix had shown him of channeling 'happiness energy' the bucket lifted into the air. Beatrix smiled proudly at the sight as Harry seemed amazed at what he was doing.

"Hey, how's it- oh wow!" Feng remarked, walking up to Harry, not paying attention to where the bucket was... Until Harry got distracted and let go. The bucket bounced off of Feng's head and landed perfectly in Hubrecht's outstretched hand.

"Perfect coordination, guys! We make a great team!"

"S-Sorry, Miss Feng!" Harry exclaimed, running up to hug her leg. Feng knelt down and hugged him back, rubbing his back with her fingers.

"It's okay, little guy, I know you're not doing it on purpose. Everyone here ends up hurting me at some point. I just have really rotten luck."

"Oh..." Harry mumbled, feeling even worse than earlier, and he tried to hug her a bit tighter, making Feng grin.

"Don't feel bad little guy, you're doing amazing! Beatrix must be a really good teacher."

"She is!" Harry replied, his tone so genuine and sincere it surprised Beatrix. She waited for what she felt was an inevitable 'But sometimes she...' but it never came. She rubbed her arm somewhat bashfully, looking in the opposite direction, having no idea how to respond to the little boy's faith in her.

"Beatrix, are you okay? You look all... tomato headed!" Hubrecht exclaimed, taking a closer look at the magician, who was frustrated to realize that she was, in fact, blushing.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." She waved dismissively, looking away to try and hide her embarrassment. Feng caught a glimpse of it, but decided to let it be. She squeezed Harry one last time and let him go, deciding that he probably needed to keep practicing with Beatrix.

"I'll tell Cerebella how things are going, kay?" Feng smiled down at Harry, who nodded in reply.

Beatrix pointed to a stool. "Okay, try teleporting that." Harry did so, and Hubrecht caught it easily. "Okay, now that stepladder." Harry gave it to Hubrecht. This went on for several minutes. Harry had managed to transfer Beatrix herself, a bowling ball, some dumbbells, an anvil, a piano, one of the wagons, a trashed car, and even one of the elephants. Hubrecht was effortlessly holding up all of these things, and Beatrix was amazed. The sheer amount of weight the kid could lift was the same as their resident strong man!

She still wanted to know more about his bloodline, how could one little kid possibly be so powerful?! He was clearly of noble blood, and if that was the case, what was he doing out here? Beatrix frowned, thinking about some of the noble families she had learned about, how they tended to live in lavish mansions, never waiting on anything or anyone... why wasn't Harry living the best life right now?

She reasoned that the most logical reason for this was that his parents had been killed, probably when he was just a baby due to him showing no signs of brattiness. And when they had died, he had probably been sent to live with muggles. That would explain his complete lack of prior knowledge of magic. And the muggles he was with...

Beatrix remembered what she had been somewhat told by Harry, and everything connected. She felt genuine sorrow for what Harry had been through. She knew what it was like, but it was clear Harry didn't come out stronger, defiant, like she did, just the opposite. He was broken. He was clearly a very emotionally fragile little thing. Sensitive to a fault, timid to a disconcerting degree, but with a clear desire to be loved and cherished... Cerebella was clearly fulfilling that role for him, which was good... But she just hoped he'd be able to put his fears behin him completely one day...

If only she knew the full extent of the boy's abuse...

While she wanted to ask him about it, she knew better. He was beginning to trust her, and that was honestly more than she had expected at this rate, and she decided not to push her luck. Fighting Cerebella was one thing, but she had a gut feeling that if she scared him again, he wouldn't trust her.

"Alright, Harry." Beatrix spoke up, getting the little boy's attention. "I want you to try something, I want you to use the levitation spell on yourself."

Harry tilted his head like a confused puppy. "Kinda like...flying?" He asked curiously. Beatrix nodded her affirmation.

"Right. You won't be able to fly completely, just a few feet off the ground, so don't be afraid of floating away or anything like that." She assured him.

"Oh... Okay, I can try that..." He closed his eyes and focused on himself as hard as he could. "Wingardium Leviosa..." He mumbled. At first, nothing seemed to happen. Then, Harry felt an odd feeling in his tummy, and when he looked down, he realized he was floating! It wasn't too high up, only maybe a foot off the ground, but it was higher than he expected.

"Good job Harry!" Beatrix applauded, knowing he probably had it in him to do it, but was surprised how high he was off the ground. Harry looked down at the floor, then willed himself to move through the air. It took some exertion, but he managed to move forward a few feet.

"Wow..." He said with wonder in his eyes. "I...I can fly! Look at me, I'm flying!" The boy said excitedly, floating back and forth.

Beatrix chuckled at his enthusiasm. "That you are, kid, that you are." She said with what was almost a fond smile.

"Oh my gosh!" Cerebella exclaimed, making her way over to the scene. "That is SO COOL!"

"Hi mommy!" Harry said happily, waving to Cerebella, who's hands were over her mouth in amazement, while Beatrix smirked, looking over to Cerebella, enjoying the amazed look on her face.

Harry, after a couple more minutes of flying, decided he wanted to be held by his mommy, so he floated over to Cerebella, arms ourstretched to convey what he wanted. Chuckling, the greenette reached up and plucked her son out of the air, holding him close against her bosom and patting his back gently. Cerebella laughed gently as she felt Harry snuggle closer to her and she nuzzled the top of his head with her cheek. "Aww, you're a cuddly little guy, aren't you?" She cooed gently. Harry smiled and nuzzled back. Cerebella smiled and looked over at Beatrix. "I gotta admit it Trix, you're doing an amazing job."

Beatrix smirked pridefully and stuck her nose up in the air. "Hmph! Naturally." She looked Cerebella in the eyes, then looked away. "And you're...doing an adequate job at being a mom..."

Cerebella blinked, then smirked. "Just can't bring yourself to give a full compliment to me, can ya, Trix?"

"Well, I like your son better." Beatrix shrugged.

"Well, guess I can't blame ya for that." Harry smiled at Cerebella as she patted his head, rocking him for a moment, then set him back down. The weightlifter felt much better with not only how well Harry and Beatrix seemed to be getting along, but with how happy Harry seemed to be in general now. It was such a change from when she found him... She gave her son a proud smile, then opted to take a seat on the nearby bench. "Well, I could use a little break from practice. Think I'll watch you practice a bit." She said with a wink. Harry felt excitement bubbling up inside of him. His mommy was watching him! He had to make her proud! Beatrix smirked slightly at the clear excitement Harry was showing.

"Okay, I want you to try and catch something that's moving." Beatrix instructed, she waited until Harry was ready, then gently tossed an apple towards him. She was being almost paranoidly careful not to hit him or throw it too roughly, but her fears were relieved when Harry briefly caught the apple, but then dropped it.

"Aww..." He mumbled, disappointed.

"That's all right, no one ever gets this one right on the first try. It takes a lot of focus. Here, let's give it another shot..." She tossed the apple again, and he once again only caught it for a second. It seemed that the teacher and student had encountered their first obstacle. Harry was finally struggling to perform a spell properly. He felt disappointment that he was failing while his mother was watching. Cerebella picked up on this and bit her lip, unsure of what to say or do. She felt like if she left, it would make things worse, but being here wasn't helping things either...

"It's okay, buddy." She said soothingly, getting Harry's attention. "You're doing so well so far, don't feel bad about this."

Harry hung his head in shame. "I wanted you to see me do good..." He said softly. Cerebella knelt down and gave him a hug, rubbing his back.

"I already have. And don't worry. Practice makes perfect. Keep at it and you will get the hang of it. And when that happens, come and find me."

"Okay, mama." Harry smiled, his spirits lifted somewhat, as he went back to practicing with Beatrix. It took many, many tries, but Harry eventually got a handle on it. Sort of. He was able to hold the apple for a little bit longer, but Beatrix was curious why this was such a hindrance for him.

She approached the boy and put a hand on his shoulder. "Harry, does me throwing the apple bring on any...bad memories?" She questioned.

Harry looked down. "Um...Well, my...my cousin used to throw stuff at me a lot..." He admitted. Beatrix nodded.

"That explains it. You're struggling with this because of trauma."

"Oh..." Harry said downcast, looking down at the floor. Beatrix found and slowly put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay kid. You'll get it eventually." She said reassuringly. Harry slowly looked up and gave a timid smile.

"Thank you..." He mumbled. "For... for not being mad.'

Beatrix blinked at that, then shrugged her shoulders. "Eh... No big deal, really. You've been a great student so far. This is just one hangup."

"Okay,.. I'll try really hard to get it right, honest." Beatrix nodded her head.

"Maybe the best way to do this would be to not throw it at you... Here, try it like this." She tossed the apple again, this time upwards. Harry tired to stop it, but he ended up slowing it's decent, however his magic did seem stronger this way, so Beatrix tried again. And again, and again, but eventually, Harry managed to stop the falling fruit, and hold onto it this time.

"I...I did it!" Harry exclaimed, amazed that he had been able to do it.

Beatrix smirked and nodded her head. "Ya sure did, kiddo... Ya sure did." She said as she looked at the floating fruit. "Let's see if you've got it down pat now..." The two repeated the process several more times, and Harry had an easier time with it each time they repeated it. Beatrix was quite pleased with how things turned out. "That's great kid!" She smiled. "Okay, lets try two now."

It took a few tries, but eventually Harry was able to hold one apple sturdily in the air, and briefly hold the second. It wasn't perfect, but it was something. Yes, he was getting the hang of this, slowly, but surely. Soon enough, Beatrix decided to reward him with a pat on the head and a light smile."All right, kiddo, I think that'll do for today. You're doing great so far, so don't be too discouraged over the apples. We'll keep working on it until you've got it down. Practice makes perfect and all that."

"M'kay." Harry nodded, then felt himself being scooped up and hugged by Cerebella.

"Hi sweetie!" She cooed. "How'd it go today?"

"Really good, but I can't do the apples right yet..." Harry replied, a little sheepishly.

Cerebella chuckled and messed up his hair playfully. "Yeah, we all have those areas where we have a tough time. Keep at it, bud, you'll get it sooner or later." Harry felt even better about things after hearing his mother's encouraging words. In fact, he felt his resolve to figure it out strengthen. But for now, his desire for his mama's affection won out, and he snuggled into her embrace. Cerebella laughed gently and kissed his forehead. "You're so adorable, you know that right?" She asked playfully. Harry cooed in response. He loved being complimented, whether it was by his mama, or Miss Feng, or Miss Beatrix, or anyone, really. It made him feel like he was worth something... Harry let out a soft yawn, and Cerebella chuckled and gave him a gentle pat on his tiny back. "All right, little man, looks like it's naptime for you."

"Okay, mama..." Harry mumbled, cuddling in closer. Cerebella kissed his head gently.

"I'll be back in a sec, Regina! Just gonna go put my kid down for a nap!" She called out. The ringleader smiled and nodded as Cerebella left the tent. When she returned to her room, she lifted up that warm blanket she had had for years and tucked Harry under it. She made sure he was comfortable before kissing him on the cheek.

"Okay sweetie, mama's gonna go practice some more, kay?" Cerebella cooed.

"Okay mama..." Harry yawned, making Cerebella 'Aww...' at the sight.

"You just take a nap, and I'll be back when you wake up!" He mumbled his affirmation, and Cerebella left, making sure to turn the light off before she left, sparing her boy one last glance before exiting the room. "Heh... He's such a good little guy... Think I'll bring him a treat of some kind when I'm done work..." She was pulled from her musing when, much to her surprise, Beatrix decided to approach. "Oh, hey, B, uh...what's up?"

"Cerebella, I'm not saying this to scare you, and I'm being completely honest... Harry's way stronger than I imagined." Cerebella was taken aback, somewhat confused as to what the magician was talking about.

"Uh... Okay, and um...that's a good thing, right?" Beatrix nodded her head in affirmation, looking in the direction of Cerebella's apartment.

"It's...a good thing you decided to let me work with him after all... If he'd gone untrained for much longer, someone would have gotten hurt." Cerebella winced at that. Her Harry, hurting someone seriously? He felt bad enough about causing Feng's humorous injuries, there's no way he'd be able to stomach that! "It wouldn't be his fault, don't think that." Beatrix quickly reassured Cerebella. "Untamed magic just sort of... bursts, every now and then among those who don't know how to control it. That's what I meant."

"Oh..." Cerebella sighed in relief. "Okay... that's a relief."

"Honestly I don't think he could ever intentionally hurt anyone, aside from Feng." Beatrix smirked.

Cerebella frowned. "Hey, you know very well he didn't intentionally hurt Feng. It was all an accident." Beatrix nodded in response and the two went silent, not sure what else to say. "You seem a lot...happier ever since you started working with him." Beatrix looked at Cerebella with a raised brow. "I never saw you smile so much before."

"I guess... I guess I don't feel alone the same way, if that makes any sense." Beatrix mumbled. "The kid's really sweet, and I don't see how anyone could hate him, but having another magic user, I dunno. I guess I like the change." Cerebella nodded her head in affirmation. The two stood in silence, now feeling on slightly better terms. It was as though Harry had slightly mended the gaping hole that was their civility with each other.

Cerebella suddenly felt a tang of guilt inside her over their initial argument regarding Harry. Many things had been said, but she still remembered what clearly hurt Beatrix the most... "Hey, uh...Beatrix?" The magician looked at her through the corner of her eye. "About...what I said...about you being a bad mom... I...I know it got to you, and I'm...I'm sorry, all right? After seeing you with Harry, I think that you could pull it off." Beatrix bit her lip, not sure how to respond, but then allowed a small smile to form on her face.

"Thanks... that... thanks." The magician awkwardly replied, clearly not sure how to respond, but she was thankful nonetheless. She had hated Cerebella for the longest time, and the reason for that was simple... She was disgustingly naive and gullible, completely unable to understand that Vitale was just using her. Hell, she didn't even have the backbone to stand up to her most of the time! Or at least she didn't, until the day she first brought Harry home...

"Cerebella, I said some rotten things about your parenting too, but I have to be upfront with you here... You've been a pretty model mom so far."

"Thanks." Cerebella smiled.

"Listen, I know this isn't in my place to say, but... keep an eye on him, will ya?" Beatrix said, sighing slightly. "There's... there's a lot of good in the world. But there's also a lot of bad." Cerebella winced, remembering the day Big Band had stepped in to protect her and Harry from those monsters dressed as human thugs.

"Yeah... Yeah, I know..." The tanned greenette mumbled softly. Beatrix frowned. She really wished Cerebella could take off her rose tinted glasses for Vitale... But she also knew that if she tried to maker her see that... well, that would push things to worse than they had been BEFORE Harry had arrived. Beatrix couldn't explain why, but she had a bad feeling in her gut that one way or another, Cerebella was going to learn the truth very soon. She just hoped it wouldn't hurt her or Harry too much...

The two girls, however, were both rather glad to be on relatively decent terms with one another. "...Y'know, Beatrix... If Harry ever needs a babysitter and Feng's not available... I wouldn't mind letting you be the backup sitter, if you're up for it..."

"Heh, why not." Beatrix smirked. "I don't think the kid's terrified of me now, and I doubt he'd cause any trouble." Cerebella giggled into her hand at that.

"He couldn't, even if he tried too." She laughed. "You saw how he reacted when he hit Feng by mistake!" This did make Beatrix laugh.

"Ah, poor Feng... If the whole juggling thing ends up falling through somehow, she could still kerp her circus career afloat as a clown, right?"

"Heh... Now that is just mean. True, but mean." At that moment, Feng felt a sudden, irresistible urge to 'accidentally' put too much salt in Cerebella's dinner that night.

"Regardless, just keep an eye on the kid." Beatrix said, beginning to walk away. "He loves you, don't forget that." Cerebella was confused as to what Beatrix meant by that, but decided to just be happy with the fact that they were on speaking grounds. She sighed softly, then looked back at the weights she had been lifting. Hoisting them up with Vice-Versa, she had the hat toss the weights up and down, catching them out of the air repeatedly as she contemplated the situation.

Perhaps this could lead to her and Beatrix becoming friends...


	7. Chapter 7

The night passed without incident, the only real thing of note was that when Cerebella had gotten into bed, Harry had almost instinctively rolled over in his sleep to meet her. The weightlifter grinned and happily wrapped him up in her arms.

Now Harry was training with Beatrix again, but rather than try teleporting, lifting, or more 'exotic' magic as some might say, Beatrix wanted to teach Harry a few magical abilities that focused more on the mind.

"Okay... Now, first thing's first... I'm gonna teach you how to do telepathy." Harry looked confused. Beatrix smirked. "How to talk to people with your mind."

"Wow... With my...mind...?" Harry asked. "So I don't have to talk or anything...?" Beatrix smirked and nodded.

"Not even one syllable."

"How?" Harry cocked his head in clear confusion.

'It's simple, really.' Beatrix spoke into Harry's mind, laughing quietly as his eyes went huge and he looked around, trying to see where the voice was coming form. 'I'm talking to your mind silly.'

"Oh. I'm sorry..." Harry mumbled.

Beatrix patted his head. "No worries, no worries, it's a new experience for ya. Now... All you have to do is really concentrate on what you wanna say..." Harry didn't have to think about it for very long, as he knew exactly what to say when he saw Cerebella out of the corner of his eye...

'I love you, mommy.' Cerebella suddenly heard Harry's voice fill her head. Cerebella gasped, her hands jumping to her mouth in shock, and not catching Feng, who then fell to the ground, her plates following one after the other and hitting her on the head. Cerebella turned around, and looked at the two.

"Did... did Harry just..."

"Heh... Guess that means it worked." She chuckled. "Yep, Harry just talked to you with his mind. Pretty cool, huh? That hat of yours doesn't even scratch the surface of what magic can really do."

"Yeah, no kidding..." Cerebella breathed. "So, can he just use that to get in contact with me anywhere I am?" Beatrix shook her head.

"Nope, there's a range limit. If you're not in town, he won't be able to reach you. Just think of it like phone reception."

"Oh, that's... still amazing!" Cerebella said with a grin, patting Harry's head. "I'm very proud of you, bud." Harry blushed at that, and looked away embarrassed. Beatrix smirked and nodded.

"It's just amazing how fast he's learning."

Cerebella grinned and pulled her son into a one-armed hug, playfully giving him a gentle noogie. "Yep, my little man's awesome." She agreed.

"Thank you, mama... I'm really trying hard to get it all right..." He said softly, feeling bashful, but also proud of all he had managed to accomplish.

'You're doing great kid, I think your mama's jealous.' Beatrix said to Harry's mind. 'Don't tell her I said that.' Harry nodded as Cerebella set him back down so he could continue training. "Right, let's try something... ah, let's try a 'group call'." Beatrix smiled. "Try and talk to me, Cerebella, and Feng." Harry nodded, then focused. He felt odd, he could sense multiple minds around him, and it took him a few minutes to find Beatrix and Feng. Finally, he thought he had it.

"Hello!" Harry said happily, Cerebella and Beatrix hearing it, until someone spoke up.

"Harry?" Regina asked, bewildered. "Are... are you in my mind?" Harry blinked, surprised, and whirled about to face the circus leader, who was looking at him with a confused and almost impressed frown.

"Oh... Sorry, Miss Regina... I was trying to get it to Miss Feng, Miss Beatrix and mama. I think I got you instead of Miss Feng." He admitted.

"That...it...it's fine dear." Regina said, surprised by how what Harry had done. "I'm just... suprised is all." Harry seemed embarrassed, but decided to try again. After another few minutes, he timidly spoke mentally.

"Hello?" Regina watched the boy focus, and soon enough, he, Cerebella, Feng and beatrix were all visibly pleased, indicating that it worked well.

"My, my, my..." Regina mumbled to herself. Beatrix certainly wasn't kidding. This boy clearly possessed immense magical prowess... The circus may have its next in line magician...

Beatrix now considered what was next for Harry, and she decided to try a memory link. She told Harry to try and communicate with her again, but this time to think of a specific memory. Harry hesitated slightly at that. "Sh-Sharing memories...? Wh-What memories...?" He asked timidly. Beatrix shrugged her shoulders in response.

"I guess whatever ones I find. Don't worry, this won't hurt a bit... Trust me, all right?" Harry hesitated and nodded his head slowly. Beatrix knelt down in front of him, rested her hands on his shoulders, pressed her forehead against his, and closed her eyes...

She saw...a man. A fat, walrus like man... It would have been a comedic sight...except for the fact that he was yelling at a cowering Harry. "WE WERE VERY CLEAR WITH YOU THAT THERE WASN'T TO BE ANY OF THAT FREAK STUFF SO LONG AS YOU WERE STAYING IN THIS HOUSE, YOU STUPID BOY! THIS WAS MY BEST BLOODY TIE! NOW IT'S PINK! DAMN YOU, THE LOT OF YOUR KIND IS A WASTE! YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED WITH YOUR BLOODY PARENTS IN THAT CAR CRASH!" And then the memory ended.

Beatrix's eyes snapped open, wide in disbelief at what she had just witnessed, and Harry seemed close to tears. Everything made sense now... that's why he was so terrified of magic, it was beaten into him.

'Hey, Harry.' Beatrix spoke very calmly to Harry in his mind. 'It's okay, I know what it's like to be hated because of your gift. I went through that too.' Harry looked at her with wide eyes. She smirked back at him. 'And do you wanna know how I handled my problems? I stuck it to the man and proved he was wrong about me.'

'I...I don't know if I can really do that... Uncle Vernon's the grown up... right...? Grown ups can't be wrong... Right...?' He asked, feeling unsure.

'Kid... If he's telling you ridiculous, awful stuff like you deserved to die, then it seems to me that he's ALWAYS wrong. NOTHING about that is right no matter what way ya slice it. He was never a real guardian to you. You want a real example of a parent or caretaker, look no further than your mom. Here... Let's try again, okay?'

Harry paused, and Beatirx saw him going through the memories of his time with Cerebella. She saw how she cared for him, comforted him during his nightmares (and the magician shuddered at what he was probably seeing) and even watched as Cerebella furiously attacked a gang that threatened them.

'Look, Harry. I didn't mean to bring this up.' Beatirx continued. 'I'm really sorry...'

'It's not your fault...' Harry mumbled. 'It's mi-'

'It's not your's. Don't say that.' Harry looked down, not sure how to feel about the situation. It was practically instinct to blame himself at this point, and to be told it wasn't his fault, while comforting, was very confusing for him.

Beatrix frowned and gave him a pat on the head. 'You can't listen to people like him, Harry... These people thrive on hurting others... You're his victim. No one has the right to make you feel like dirt. You're a good kid. You're polite, you listen well, you have so much potential... Once you've moved past this whole thing, I know you're gonna do great things. That guy didn't like you... But think of the people here that are proud of you. Your mom's proud of you, Feng's proud of you...And I'm proud of you too.' Harry stood in silence for a few moments, letting his teacher's words sink in. Then, slowly, he approached her, and Beatrix was surprised when she felt his tiny arms wrap around her leg in a hug.

Beatrix now felt somewhat awkward, unsure of what to do. She didn't feel like she was ready to return the hug but she appreciated it nonetheless. So she settled for just patting his head. Once their embrace was done, Beatrix smiled again.

"C'mon, let's try to catch an apple again." She said, gently taking his hand.

"Okay." Harry replied, looking up at the magician.

She held up the fruit, looking at it for a few seconds. "Okay, kid... Try not to think of it as me throwing it AT you. Think of it as me throwing it TO you."

"To me?" Harry asked, tilting his head like a confused puppy. Beatrix chuckled and nodded her head, tossing the apple up and down in her hand.

"You ever see someone play catch with their kid before? Try to think of it as us doing that. Just a couple friends playing a game."

"O...Okay." Harry sighed, trying to collect himself. He nodded and Beatirx gently tossed the apple towards him. He tried to catch it, but a pang of fear shot through him, and the apple fell to the ground. Beatrix frowned then picked up the apple and tried again. This time, Harry didn't panic and tried to catch it. Focusing hard, he looked at the apple as it came towards him, and, much to everyone's pleasure, it froze several feet above the ground and stayed in place.

Beatrix grinned broadly at that and nodded her head. "All right, very good. Let's keep at it, and just remember that I won't hurt you, okay?" Harry nodded. He needed to trust Beatrix... She'd been such a good teacher... She tossed the apple again, and found himself easily catching it again. "Yes!" Beatrix cheered, starling Harry and making him drop the apple in surprise, and look to Beatirx hopefully. "That was perfect!"

"Really?!" Harry asked, his eyes sparkling with hope.

The magician grinned and nodded her head. "You caught it flawlessly, kiddo. Now let's give it another shot!" She tossed the apple again. Harry felt his confidence rise each and every time the apple was thrown, and Beatrix's supportive reactions only further fueled his confidence. Eventually, he was finally able to pull it off flawlessly. "Great going!" Beatrix beamed. "Now, let's try two apples." Harry nodded and prepared himself. Beatrix tossed one apple, which Harry caught, then tried to catch the other, but missed. Beatrix shrugged. "Weeell, you're not gonna get it all at once. We'll keep working at it... Huh. Would ya look at the time. Guess it's time for you to go back to your mom now."

Harry smiled and nodded. "Okay, Miss Beatrix... Thank you for helping me again." Beatrix messed up his hair.

"It was my pleasure, Harry." Harry walked back over and was almost immediately picked up by Cerebella, who held him close.

"Hi cutie, how'd it go?" She asked playfully, kissing his forehead.

"I'm almost done practicing with catching the apples, mama!" Harry said excitedly. "Miss Beatrix thinks that I'll be able to do it in no time!"

"Aw yeah, that's my boy!" Cerebella replied, giving Harry a playful, very brief little noogie to avoid scaring him. He giggled in response.

"Heh... I'm pretty dang proud of my little student myself." Beatrix stepped up. "He's made teaching a complete breeze so far, he's so good."

"That's great to hear." Cerebella smiled at Beatrix, then blushed slightly, a bit embarrassed by her enthusiasm, but didn't say anything, hoping Beatrix didn't see it. Beatrix had seen it but didn't know what to say, so she just patted Harry on the head.

"Okay, little guy, that's all the training we'll do for the week. Tomorrow's our day off, so we can all just take it easy for a little while."

Harry nodded his affirmation before looking at Cerebella. "Mommy, is tomorrow your day off too?" Cerebella smirkd and nodded.

"Yep! Sorry, squirt, looks like you're stuck with me and Miss Feng all day tomorrow."

"Yay!" Harry said happily, leaning into Cerebella, who couldn't help but laugh at his excitement.

"D'aw, that's so cute!" Feng cooed, her eyes turning to hearts at the sight. Harry was thrilled he got to spend time with his mama!

The greenette gave the magician a smirk and a nod. "Well, Beatrix, that's the end of week one, and I have to say, I'm pretty happy with the results."

Beatrix gave a half smile, sticking her nose up pridefully. "Well, what can I say? When you have a perfect teacher and a perfect student, there's really no room for hiccups." Cerebella chuckled slightly as Harry continued enjoying the warm embrace of his mother. She cooed at the tiny boy before nodding her thanks one last time to Beatrix before heading back to her room. Harry had rested his head on her shoulder and seemed to be napping contently. She had to let out a small, soft chuckle at the tiny sleeping form in her arms and decided she wasn't going to put her boy down just yet.

She took a seat on the foot of her bed, carefully shifted him in her arms so she was cradling him like a baby, then slowly rocked him back and forth. Sure, perhaps it was rather juvenile to hold a boy his age like this... But Cerebella didn't care... His sweet, sleeping face as he snuggled closer in his new position melted her heart like a gumdrop. Harry cooed happily in his mother's arms, and Cerebella felt her chest get warmer. She loved this, she loved Harry, so much...

She stayed like that for thirty minutes, smiling tenderly down at the sleeping child in her arms... He was a little treasure... HER little treasure...

Finding him was one of the best things that ever happened to her... Certainly up there with being taken in by Vitale... She shuddered to imagine what would have happened had she not found him... But none of that mattered now. He WAS with her, and she'd protect him. Kissing him one more time on the cheek, she quietly tucked him into the bed for a nap and left the room and went back to where Feng was getting a drink.

"Is the little cutie pie asleep?" Feng smiled.

"I think he's just taking a little nap." Cerebella replied.

"Hey, Bella? You and Beatrix seem to be... Getting along. What's with that?"

Cerebella chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. "Honestly? Harry's been really good for the both of us. Guess he sorta brought out the best in her..."

"Heehee... Did you see the look on her face when Harry hugged her leg? Priceless stuff..." Cerebella cooed in response.

"Awww, really? He hugged her leg? Aww, my boy's just too damn sweet for his own good... He used to be TERRIFIED of Beatrix, now he's willingly hugging her... Heh... She said having someone to teach magic to has really helped her... And hey... She's been pretty awesome with him so far."

Feng smiled at that. "Well, it is pretty nice to see her without that nasty scowl all the time. I seriously thought her face was frozen that way."

"Heh... Yeah, she actually has a pretty nice smile." Cerebella chuckled. "I even asked her to be Harry's backup babysitter." Feng gasped and opened her mouth. "Don't worry, you're still my go-to girl." This pacified the smaller woman.

"So, any idea what you two are going to do tomorrow?" Feng asked, sitting on the counter. Cerebella mused over the question.

"Well, the little guy has clothes, and I'm not sure if there's a park nearby... Do you know of anything around here he'd enjoy?"

"Huh. I'll get back to you on that."

Cerebella shrugged. "Meh... I'll just have to take him around and see what we can find..." She poured herself a glass of milk and leaned up against the wall.

The two friends stayed in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Feng broke the silence. "Hey, Bella... When Beatrix was showing Harry a spell earlier, she seemed a little...upset. I think I heard her say something about sharing memories...?"

Cerebella frowned. "So Beatrix saw some of what Harry's life was like...? I might have to ask her about that next time I see her..."

"I mean, you found him in a garbage can, I don't think he had a pleasant life..." Feng grimaced.

"That may be, but I don't want to force bad memories back up." Cerebella replied. "Harry's fragile, in time I'll talk to him and find out what happened, but for now, he needs love. If I try and drag that up now, well, I don't wanna hurt him."

"That's fair." Feng nodded.

The two took their usual seat in front of the television and turned it on to spend some time watching TV before dinner. Cerebella thought back to Harry, smiling softly. 'I'll always protect you...'

Meanwhile, Beatrix was making her way back to her own living quarters, her expression blank and completely neutral. She couldn't stop thinking about how little Harry had hugged her that day. Pulling her key from who knows where, she undid the lock, entered her home and closed the door behind her. She made absolutely sure no one was watching... And then, she let out a long, girlish squeal, much like a teenage girl.

"HE'S SO PRECIOUS!" She squealed, her eyes turning to rainbow coloured hearts as a warm surge of energy flowed through her. She felt... accepted. She felt... loved? Was... was this what love was?! Beatrix didn't know, but all she knew was that magic wasn't the best gift she had ever been given, Harry was.

She took a deep breath to regain her composure, then looked down with a blush. "Ugh... Damn it, Beatrix... Way to make yourself look like some stupid teenager..." She took a seat and began sharpening her knives, a fond smile forming on her face as she worked. Harry really was an amazing little guy...

She wondered if she should have hugged him back... This thought drifted to wondering just what it would be like to hold him... No, to hold him would be overstepping her bounds... But would it? I mean, if he hugged her, wouldn't hugging him back be the right thing to do? Still, Beatrix wasn't sure how Cerebella would react to that.

'Or what you saw..'" A voice piped in her head, and Beatrix paused, biting her lip.

Right. That.

She hadn't seen much, but she could tell that this kid was broken. Sure, Cerebella was definitely the best fit to make him happy again, but she knew from personal experiences that those scars weren't going to heal right away. The magician paused, wondering if Harry had told Cerebella yet. This was one thing the knife thrower knew without a shadow of a doubt to NEVER bring up unless Cerebella asked her directly.

She shook her head and finished sharpening her knives quietly, deep in thought about the man that had said those horrible things to little Harry...She scowled and tightened her hold on her knife. Just who the hell did that huge, disgusting, morbidly obese waste of oxygen think he was?! Calling him a freak?! Screaming at him over an honest mistake?! Insulting wizards everywhere?! But the part that infuriated her the most is when he told the boy he wished he had died... That is something you NEVER say to ANYONE, much less a f*cking kid!

Beatrix blinked, then saw some of her knives floating with a red aura surrounding them, and she quickly caught her breath. The one thing that annoyed her about her magic was the fact that if she got pushed past a certain point, she didn't have much control. She wondered if Harry had anything like that, but wished he didn't. She didn't want to see him pushed to such a place.

Shaking her head, she opened up her fridge and pulled out some leftover casserole from the night prior. She prided herself in her ability to cook, but never really had anyone to share it with, so for all she knew, she was mediocre at best.

Shrugging, she sat down and ate her food, still thinking about Harry. While Cerebella was the ideal mother for him, something about him being here felt very off...

Well...The reason for this was pretty obvious. Vitale. That man was a sleazebag, through and through. It was pretty obvious from the way he was constantly eyeing up an oblivious Cerebella, his freaking adopted daughter. Frankly, a part of her wished she had won that contest just so that Cerebella didn't have to put up with that crap.

On top of that, she felt kinda worried that sooner or later, he'd turn to the kid. If Harry's magic was as powerful as she believed, when he got older, Vitale'd probably try to get the kid to use it for some twisted ideals... she didn't doubt that he would, he didn't care who he hurt just so long as he got what he wanted.

"Well, at least his bastard of a father won't be immortal now..." She mused to herself as she ate. She didn't know what happened to the Life Gem, but frankly, it was probably better off wherever it was now rather than in his hands. Yes, as bad as Vitale was, his father, Lorenzo, was worse. Much, much worse... That man was pure, unadulterated evil, and not even the naive, oblivious Cerebella liked him.

The idea of Harry getting mixed up with those two made her feel nauseous, doubly so because she wouldn't be able to prevent it. Even she wasn't strong enough to beat that bitch Black Dahlia...

She paused, suddenly questioning why she felt like this. Harry wasn't her son, so why did she care so much? Was it because she was training him and didn't want all that talent to go to waste? If that was the case, then why was she training him?

She frowned as she knew the answer, she wanted to stick it to Cerebella originally, but now... that didn't feel right. She found herself training Harry almost as a form of therapy for him. Maybe that's why she felt so protective over him. That and he was just so precious...

She groaned in slight frustration, slapping her palm against her forehead. Since when did she fawn over cute kids? Normally, she couldn't stand children... Yet Harry... Something about him just... melted away her cold demeanour... She just couldn't explain it... Perhaps... Perhaps it was his loving personality...?

She rubbed her temples and grumbled slightly. If she grew fond of the boy...Would that make her weak...? Or could it lead to greater strength...?

She decided she could worry about that later. She turned her attention back to her food and kept eating in solace, a familiar, cold, dark atmosphere returning and shrouding her in silence once again. She sighed, feeling like she was back to normal now, alone. Well, there was always tomor-

Wait. They weren't training tomorrow.

She sighed to herself, shoulders drooping slightly. Maybe she'd just head into town tomorrow and find some way to entertain herself...

Back in Cerebella and Feng's quarters, Harry was just in the process of waking up, yawning softly as he looked around. Still in bed... No sign of his mommy...

Lying back against the pillow, he began thinking of an idea Beatrix had put into his head earlier... Miss Feng being his auntie... Would Miss Feng like that...? He turned to one side and kept wondering about it. He saw how happy calling his mama 'mama' made her, so maybe Feng would like being his aunt... he certainly thought of her as his aunt, but was afraid to call her that.

He was startled when the door suddenly creaked open. "Hey, Harry? You awake there, little guy?" Relief flowed through him as he realized it was his mommy.

"Yes, mama." He said, sitting up slowly. He saw his mother's silhouette enter the room and felt her carefully scoop him up, hug him tight and kiss his cheek.

"Well, c'mon then, buddy... Miss Feng's cooking supper..." The little boy rested his head on her shoulder snd decided he would ask her opinion.

"Mama? Would it be okay to call Miss Feng... Auntie Feng?" Cerebella stopped, blinked, then grinned widely down at Harry before kissing his face.

"I think she'd love it." She grinned. "But you can ask her yourself." Harry perked up at that, deciding he would ask as soon as he saw her. When they entered the kitchen to find Feng standing over the stove, Harry spoke.

"Hi, Auntie Feng." He said softly. Feng went dead silent, staring blankly at the food she was preparing, and Harry was worried he'd made her mad.

Then, she turned around with a huge smile that practically ripped her face apart. With speed Cerebella didn't think was possible, Feng had run over and snatched Harry out of her arms, and was now holding him in a death hug.

"YAYY!" She cheered, nuzzling his tiny face before smothering him with kisses. "I'm Auntie Feng!" Cerebella blinked in surprise then couldn't help but laugh at the two's interactions. It was honestly really sweet to see. Now that Harry was calling her roommate auntie, it felt as though their little family had fully come together. The loving mother, the doting aunt, the sweet little boy... Heh... Now all she needed was a lover to fully complete the family dynamic... But that was for another day. In the meantime, their current family was more than enough.

Cerebella wanted her son back, but couldn't bring herself to take him away form the delighted Feng, who was still cuddling him like a teddy bear. Harry was giggling and trying to hug her back, but his arms were too tiny to do so. The greenette simply opted to stand to the side, smirking slightly in amusement at the adorable scene before her, before eventually deciding to give Feng a little reminder.

"Yo, Feng, hate to kill your little moment, but the food's gonna burn if you don't attend to it." Feng eeped and hurriedly handed Harry back before returning to her cooking. Cerebella chuckled and rubbed her boy's back gently. "There, y'see? Auntie Feng's happy to be called your auntie." She said with a wink.

"I'm happy to call her that too." Harry said happily, leaning back into his mothers' hug. Cerebella smiled and kissed his head, contently humming as she seated herself in a chair and rubbed his cheek lovingly. Feng smiled over her shoulder at the pair. She had never seen Cerebella this happy before, and she was happy too. But it was safe to say Harry was happier than anyone.

Though, she supposed Cerebella was less... 'happy' and more 'content'. She always wore a smile, but now she seemed satisfied with the direction her life was taking. Heck, she didn't even bring up Vitale even once since the day she brought the boy home with her! Feng's happiness melted away as she grimaced.

Vitale... Oh, how little she thought of that gross, slimy toad... Everything about him made her want to put a hole in a nearby wall. He just...enraged her. She shook her head, deciding not to let her feelings towards the owner ruin this for Cerebella. She just hoped that Harry would be able to deal with him. She didn't think he'd hurt him... but she wasn't sure. She bit her lip and looked back down at the food.

She would just focus on cooking for now and hope that everything would turn out right in the end... That Vitale would NEVER be alone with Harry...


	8. Chapter 8

When the sun rose the next morning, Cerebella yawned, beginning to wake up early as usual, then she remembered she had they day off. She looked over to Harry who was still fast asleep and smiled, lying back down in bed and wrapping her arms around him again.

She let out a small, content hum and rubbed his tiny back gently, feeling him cuddle in closer to her. They and Feng had been up rather late watching a movie, so they were likely to be asleep for the greenette smiled at the sleeping boy and closed her eyes in content. Honestly, what did she ever do to deserve him? They stayed like that for another hour, before Harry finally stirred. "Mmm... Mama...?" He mumbled, to which Cerebella kissed the tip of his nose, smiling tenderly.

"Morning, hun." She cooed.

"Mama..." Harry mumbled happily, snuggling closer to Cerebella, who giggled lightly and slowly sat up, keeping Harry in her arms.

"Sleep well, hun?" She asked, yawning.

"Mmhmm." Harry nodded, tiredly.

"Well..." The tan woman rose out of the bed, hugging her son close. "Ya think you're ready to start the day?" He nodded. Cerebella grinned. "Awesome... Let's get ya dressed then..."

After getting Harry dressed, the two went downstairs to find Feng sitting at the table, sipping from a cup of coffee. "Well, well! I wasn't expecting you until afternoon!"

Cerebella rolled her eyes and seated herself with Harry on her lap and looked to the food on plates for Harry and her. "Thanks Feng." She smirked, taking a forkful of food and feeding it to Harry, who opened wide as his mama fed him.

"Thank you, Auntie Feng." Harry chipped in, causing Feng to giggle and coo to herself as she drank her coffee. After eating breakfast, the three sat in comfortable silence.

"So, what're your plans for the day, Feng?" Cerebella asked. Feng shrugged.

"I'm gonna visit my family. It's been a while since I've seen them..."

"Ah, yeah, the life of the circus is a busy one... Heh... Say hi to your moms for me then, Feng."

"Yep! Can do! You two have fun out in the town, okay?"

"Can do, hopefully." Cerebella replied with a nod, still not entirely sure what else there was for them to do out there. Harry looked up at her.

"We're going to town today, mommy?"

"Yup. Just you and me!" Cerebella smiled, playing with his hair. "And we can get some really good food when were in town, and... Well... There's probably something else to do out there."

Harry leaned into Cerebella's warm embrace and did his best to hug her. She let out a light chuckle and rubbed the back of his head gently, getting an adorable coo from the small boy. He was happy he would get to spend a day having fun with his mother.

"Now open up, buddy." Cerebella grinned. "Auntie Feng made us breakfast, so let's not let it go to waste!" Harry nodded eagerly as Cerebella returned to feeding him, Harry looked up at her with love and adoration in his eyes.

She gave him the same right back. Their bond was like a diamond... Strong, sturdy and not likely to be cracked any time soon. And they both loved it.

After breakfast, Cerebella and Harry went back upstairs to get dressed. Heading downstairs, Feng was already on her way out the door. "Say hi to your moms for me, Feng!" Cerebella called out.

"Have fun, Auntie Feng!" Harry agreed.

Feng giggled and waved in response. "You too!" She called as she left. Cerebella stood, still holding Harry, before adjusting him in her arms and smiling at him.

"Ready to go to town?" She asked.

"Yes mama!"

"All righty then! Let's go!" She raised two fingers in a peace sign, and Vice-Versa did the same. Harry giggled at his mother's theatrics and smiled as she carried him outside. Cerebella had learned her lesson from last time. She refused to take any shortcuts through alleyways, and she was constantly keeping an eye out for any trouble.

She was so busy looking around, that she failed to focus on what was in front of her and bumped into somebody. "Ugh... Watch it, I almost spilled my-" The figure turned around before looking surprised.

"Beatrix?" Cerebella said, equally caught off guard.

"Oh, uh... Hey." Beatirx replied, somewhat awkwardly. "What are you two doing here?"

"Well, we didn't have any plans for the day, so I figured I'd bring Harry to town so he could get to know the place." Cerebella replied. "What are you doing here?" Beatrix didn't respond at first, then shrugged.

"Just walking around, the places I'd usually go are either closed for the day or under renovation, so it kinda limited my options."

Cerebella nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I'm not really sure where to go myself... Don't really know any places Harry would like..." The two stayed in an awkward silence.

"Miss Beatrix? D'you wanna come with us?" Harry asked curiously. Beatrix looked at him in surprise. "You look lonely... So maybe you can spend time with us and not be lonely?"

Cerebella smiled. Her son had such a big heart... "Heh... Yeah, I'm with the little guy, Beatrix. Let's look around, find something to do. We got the whole day ahead of us."

Beatrix but her lip, not sure of how to respond, but something in Harry's voice made her desperately want to say yes. Finally she nodded in agreement. "Alright, why not?" She shrugged.

"Yay!" Harry cheered, further warming the cold magician's frigid heart. Cerebella chuckled and nodded, motioning for her rival to follow.

"Well, that's settled then. C'mon, let's start walking." Beatrix followed the mother son duo, feeling oddly touched they wanted to include her on their special day out.

The three walked down the street, Harry was looking around at all the sights and stores, Cerebella smiled and played with his hair. He was too adorable... Beatrix gave him a small smile as well. She had to admit, his wonder really was cute.

Eventually, they stumbled upon a sight they were unfamiliar with. "Huh... When did they build a bowling alley here?" Cerebella asked with a raised brow.

"Well, I saw them doing construction work about three weeks ago. Guess this is what it was for." Beatrix replied with a shrug. "Whattya say? Up for getting destroyed at bowling?"

Cerebella snorted. "You? Destroy ME? Please, who do you think you're talking to here?" The two got into each other's faces, that familiar competitive spark forming between them. Rather than scowling, however, this time they were grinning.

"What's bowling?" Harry suddenly spoke up, making the two women look down at him, briefly having forgot he was there.

"It's a game, hon." Cerebella answered. "You roll a ball down an alley and try to knock pins over."

"Oh. Okay." Harry replied, his tone making it clear he didn't really understand, but was trying to.

Cerebella chuckled and patted his head. "It'll make sense when we go in and get started." She cooed, picking him up so they could enter the building.

The bowling alley was very well kept, perfect for a competitive game. "No worries you two, I got this. I'm paying for my victory, after all." Beatrix teased.

Cerebella have Beatix a flat look that said 'Bring it'. Harry watched the two, slightly confused but smiled again when Cerebella kissed his head. "Ready to beat Beatrix in a game?" Cerebella asked playfully.

"Okay Harry, ready to beat Cerebella in a game?" Beatrix asked, walking back over.

Harry giggled slightly at the competitive glance they sent each other's way, and the trio went to get their names set on one of the alleys.

The two looked to Harry, sitting on the middle of three seats, looking at them. "...Don't even think about it. He's on my team." Cerebella flatly.

"What? You're gonna make his choices for him?" Beatrix smirked.

"I'm his mother!"

"I think he should choose though..." Beatrix smirked.

Harry looked back and forth between the two women, feeling a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Um... Uh...I... I... I'm on Vice-Versa's team!" He blurted out. The hat in question blinked, looked down at Cerebella, then shrugged and hopped down to join his teammate. The two women blinked in surprise.

"Huh. Didn't see that coming." Beatrix commented.

"Okay then." Cerebella simply shrugged, at a loss for words. Cerebella was up first, and she seemed to be constantly shooting glances to Beatrix to make sure she wasn't trying to use magic to mess her up. She bowled the ball, and it seemed to be heading on a bit of a curve, until it went into the gutter.

Cerebella snapped her fingers in disappointment. "Heh... sorry, couldn't resist. Won't happen again." Beatrix chuckled at her co-worker's indignant expreesion.

Cerebella huffed in annoyance and rolled her eyes as she walked back to grab another ball while the others watched, interested to see how it would go. Cerebella threw the ball, with far more force than she intended. Said ball went into the gutter, the hopped out, into the lane next to them, hitting a strike.

Cerebella stared blankly at the ball, then looked over at Beatrix, who looked back at her with a raised brow. "Okay, I swear on my life that one wasn't me."

"She's right, mommy. I didn't feel her magic." Harry verified. Cerebella looked somewhat miffed, then crossed her arms with a huff.

"Pfft, yeah, well... That was a total fluke." She muttered. "Next time I'll get a strike for sure."

Muttering something under her breath, Cerebella sat down as Beatrix got up. She picked up a noticeably lighter ball and focused, trying to find the right trajectory. Right as she was about to throw it, Cerebella coughed. Beatrix fumbled and the ball only hit one pin.

Beatrix frowned and turned to look at her rival with a raised brow. "I suppose you think you're clever, don't you?" Cerebella smirked and shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, one doesn't like to toot one's own trumpet." She said in a rather smug fashion. Beatrix huffed and stuck her nose up in the air indignantly.

"If we're going to prove who the best bowler is, sabotage is pretty counterproductive, wouldn't you say?"

"True, but you are the one who started it, so I'd say we're equal now." Cerebella shrugged in response. Beatrix huffed and nodded in slight agreement.

"Okay, that's fair." She said, picking up another ball. She rolled it down the alley and got half the remaining pins. "Well, not a perfect roll, but I'm still ahead of you, so that's all I need." The magician smirked.

Cerebella crossed her arms under her bust and rolled her eyes before turning to Harry with a smile. "Okay, buddy, you know what to do, right?"

"Um... Roll the ball and hit the pins, right?" Harry asked.

"Right. You're aiming to knock all the pins down. If you get them all in one go, it's a strike. If you get them in two, it's a spare." Beatrix explained.

"I... Okay." Harry nodded, still confused as to how the scoring worked, but understood the point of the game. In one hand, Vice-Versa held Harry, and with the other hand, the magical hat helped Harry roll the ball. It went directly down the center and rolled a strike, leaving the two women with their jaws hanging.

"...Okay, he had Vice-Versa helping him, of course he'd roll a strike. Not like we're about to get outdone by a five year old, right?" Beatrix whispered from the corner of her mouth.

"Pfft! No way, Trix, my boy's a bowling champion!" Cerebella declared, grinning proudly at Harry. "He's a natural, and you're totally jealous!"

Beatrix rolled her eyes in bemusement. "Guess I'm gonna have to step up my game then, if I'm up against a professional bowler."

Harry turned to his mother and teacher. "I did good, right?" He asked.

"You did great hon!" Cerebella beamed.

"Eh, lucky first try." Beatrix smirked.

"She's just jealous." Cerebella whispered loudly, Beatrix gave Cerebella a flat look and Harry giggled.

"Well that's like, just your opinion Bella." Beatrix retorted. "And if you're so good, prove it. You're up."

Indeed, Vice-Versa had done its set while they were distracted, having gotten a strike. The hat clasped its hands together and shook them in celebration.

"So, Beatrix, think Vice's strike is a fluke too?" Cerebella asked as she took the ball.

"No, I just think we're playing at a disadvantage because your hat is extremely overpowered." The magician replied with a shrug.

"Says the woman who can open portals to who-knows-where." Cerebella replied evenly. "You could probably open a portal and make the ball get a strike in every lane here!"

"That's not a bad idea..." Beatirx mused.

"No! I was being sarcastic!" Cerebella exclaimed.

"I'm not."

"Ugh... Didn't we just agree not to cheat?"

"No, we agreed not to sabotage each other."

"Well can we agree not to cheat NOW?"

"I might consider taking that into consideration."

"Gimme a break! With Vice-Versa on Harry's team, how am I supposed to keep up?!"

"Just take his points too!"

Vice-Versa pounded the floor once in protest, a tick mark forming above his head. Cerebella chuckled and gave her weapon a pat. "No worries, buddy, your points are all yours." Vice-Versa nodded in content.

Cerebella sighed and picked up another ball, rolling it with a decent amount of strength, and knocking more than half the pins down. She smirked and pumped her fist in celebration. Beatrix watched her rival with a smirk as she got a spare on her second shot. Stepping up go take her turn, she decided not to cheat. Rolling the ball, she watched as it nailed the pins dead center and knocked over all but one. The last pin wobbled a bit, then stayed standing. "Well, quite the stubborn one, isn't it?" Beatrix rolled her second ball... And it missed the final pin by a mere inch. "...Ugh... Hate when that happens..."

Cerebella shot her a 'You did great girl!' Look and Beatrix stifled a laugh, it was just so... dumb. But it also kind of worked.

Harry and Vice-Versa were up again, and this time, they hit half the pins on one side down. Harry seemed happy he had hit the pins, and Vice-Versa handed him the second ball. They didn't get a spare, but Harry was enjoying the game nonetheless.

The women watched with fond smiles as the boy swelled with excitement over every little accomplishment, particulaely Cerebella, who adored seeing her son having fun. However, as they themselves bowled, they found the score always nail-bitingly close. With no magic or Vice-Versa, they were almost pefectly matched.

And then there was Harry. Any time one of them would pass his score, he'd almost immediately bowl a strike or spare. On top of that, both women had to admit they enjoyed seeing how happy he was. And Beatrix was finding it harder and harder to not admit his laugh was adorable.

By the time the little impromptu bowling tournament ended, Harry and Vice-Versa were the very clean cut winners of the game. But that was fine with the girls. All they cared about right now was the score for their own little rivalry. Checking the points, Beatrix was pleased to see she'd won, if only by a few points.

Cerebella huffed in annoyance, her shoulders dropping as she saw the look on Beatrix's face. She shook her head and simply picked up Harry, which immediately lifter her spirits. "Well, good job winning kid." Cerebella laughed, nuzzling the top of his head.

Harry was happy that he won. Vice-Versa reached up with its fist and Harry exchanged a fist bump with it, smiling brightly. "Heh... You two are a good team." Cerebella chuckled, taking her weapon and putting it back on her head.

Beatrix gave Harry a smirk, she half expected them to win, either due to Vice-Versa, or the two of them letting him win. Either way, this felt nice.

As the group stepped outside the alley, Cerebella checked her watch and saw that it was around lunch time. "Huh... All right, who's hungry?"

"I am." Harry said softly, holding his little tummy.

"Yeah, I could go for a bite." Beatrix shrugged.

"All right, let's find a place to eat!" Cerebella exclaimed, raising an index finger.

The group left the bowling alley and continued walking through the town. Both Beatrix and Cerebella occasionally pointing out places to Harry where they frequented, and Harry seemed absolutely fascinated with it all. Eventually, they came to a diner and the two women looked to one another. "Here good?" Cerebella asked.

"Sure." Beatrix shrugged.

The trio took their seats, and they looked over their menus. Cerebella was going over it with Harry, explaining to him just what the various items were and offering her recommendations. Beatrix subtly watched them over her menu, and felt a small twinge in her heart. She couldn't help but wonder what she would have turned out like if someone had taken her and loved her like Cerebella did for Harry...

And what if she found a Harry? She paused, knowing that didn't sound right... whatever. She wondered if she found a child, or even found Harry, would she be able to take care of them? Sure, she and Harry had something of a connection through her training, but did that mean anything outside of it?

She looked back at her menu, her expression hardening ever so slightly. Regardless of whether or not she was cut out for it, she knew she'd be a better parent than her own... Eventually, the group decided on their orders, and they all sat in silence, no one feeling entirely sure what to say.

Cerebella fidgeted then groaned. "Hey, Harry?" She asked, somewhat bashfully. "Would you be okay if Beatrix watches you for a minute? I Uh... I need to go..." she trailed off, trying to think of an excuse. "Fix my hair..."

"Okay." Harry replied shyly. "But your hair looks fine."

"Aww, such a sweetie." Cerebella cooed, kissing his head before leaving to find the washrooms.

Beatrix quirked her brow at Cerebella's excuse. Seriously, why were most women so averse to their natural body functions? If she needed to take a crap, just say it. Shrugging, she calmly looked over at Harry, smirking lightly. "So, pretty good day so far, yeah?" She asked, to which Harry smiled and nodded. Beatrix smiled back, before adding; "You did really well bowling today."

"I think it was Vice-Versa who did most of the bowling." Harry remarked.

"Well, you two made a really good team. And I saw you rolling some of them on your own. You did good kid." Harry smiled slightly at the praise, blushing. "Heh... You're really talented, y'know that? Learning complex spells, getting strikes in bowling... Wonder what else you can do?"

"Well...I like to garden... Flowers are pretty..." Beatrix smiled at that. "And cooking is also pretty fun too." Beatrix's smile quickly faded at those words.

"...Cooking, huh? I see... So uh...how, pray tell, do you know that you like to cook?"

"Oh. Um... my family made me." Harry replied, his tone shifting to one of a mixture of fear and sorrow. "It was okay though, I was really good at it... but I never got to eat what I made."

"What did you get to eat?" Beatrix asked, concern in her voice.

"Oh, uh. Just whatever was left from making it. Sometimes food that was in those black bags."

Beatrix stared blankly at him, feeling her temper flare and trying her best to keep it contained. "...I see." She said calmer than she felt.

"Um... Miss Beatrix? You don't look very happy... Did I do something bad?" Harry asked softly. Beatrix's gaze softened, and she patted his head.

"No, you didn't. Someone else clearly did though..." The magician said with a dark scowl. "Tch... Yelling at you AND starving you... Unacceptable..." Harry looked down, as if he had done something wrong. "Hey, you didn't do anything wrong. The people that 'took care' of you before Cerebella did." Beatrix said reassuringly. "You're just a little kid, it's wrong what they put you through."

Harry looked down at himself, then nodded to show he understood. Beatrix smiled, and Cerebella returned after having relieved herself.

"Ah, that's better," she muttered to herself, sitting down and setting Harry on her lap. "You two seem to be getting along."

"I'll be honest, I'm a bit surprised we are." Beatrix admitted, then immediately questioned why she said that. "I guess... I guess I'm used to entertaining kids, but I've never spent a lot of time around one, let alone trained one."

Cerebella shrugged. "Well, if you've never spent any one on one time with any kids, you'll never be able to tell how you'll be around them till ya do." She smirked down at Harry. "But hey... Nothing wrong with liking kids." She rubbed his head gently as though he were a cat.

Beatrix chuckled slightly at that. "Heh... Guess I can't argue with that..." She replied. Then, their food arrived.

The small group decided to focus on their food, with Cerebella alternating between letting Harry eat on his own, and feeding him herself. Harry was enjoying the food, and he thought Beatrix was really nice as well. She wasn't as scary as when they first met.

Miss Beatrix was a clear sign that one could not judge a book by its cover. She seemed mean and grumpy at first, but as he spent time with her, he found she was patient and gentle with him... Beatrix noticed Harry looking at her, then gave him a small smile and a nod. He smiled back, then focused on his food, content she had gotten his good vibes. Cerebella had to smile slightly at the small exchange of smiles as she focused on eating her lunch. So far, a pretty good day, and Beatrix was surprisingly good company.

Now they focused more on their food, it had been about a week or so since Cerebella had recused Harry and he was still FAR too skinny for her liking. She didn't mind if he wasn't as muscular as Hubrecht, but he was still too skinny. If she could count his bones, that was an issue. Thankfully, Feng's cooking had made something of an improvement, as he seemed to at least have more colour to him.

Cerebella then realized just how quickly things had progressed. Harry had only been a part of her life for about a week now. Yet in that week, she had all but officially adopted him as her son, Feng was his aunt, Beatrix was his teacher... And yet, despite all of this happening in such a short timeframe, it still felt...perfectly natural. As though it were meant to be from the very beginning.

Frankly, she wasn't one to question that. She had never been happier, and didn't think she could be happier either. Harry was still silently eating, slightly leaning into her chest while Cerebella took a drink. Beatrix seemed to be thinking of something, then smirked at Harry. "Hey, Harry." She said. "Wanna try something?"

"Uh, okay." Harry replied, a bit confused. That confusion didn't go away when a fry was lifted into the air and moved towards him. After a few moments, he understood what she was getting at.

Miss Beatrix was suggesting a way to continue practicing on their off days by using his power to eat his food. It was a good idea, and Harry was all too ready to go along with it. Carefully taking the fry, the boy then followed suit and levitated the next one himself, focusing as he brought it to his mouth and ate it.

Cerebella looked from Harry to Beatrix, then back to Harry in confusion, before Beatrix spoke up. "What? He's not playing with his food."

"Did... did you just-" Cerebella groaned.

"Yes. I did." Beatrix smirked proudly.

"Why? Why do you do this?"

"I dunno. Annoying you is just fun."

Cerebella rolled her eyes. "Well, he's eating it normally, and I guess it qualifies as practice, so sure, whatever..." The tanned woman muttered.

"Um... I'll stop if it bothers you, mommy... I'm sorry..." Harry mumbled softly. Cerebella patted his head with a small smile before kissing it.

"Nah... Don't worry, kiddo, it's all good."

The two kept trying to levitate food. It was far easier than apples. Harry seemed to be enjoying it, and it was nice to see Beatrix and Harry getting along. Cerebella felt a little bit guilty about how things had first gone down. Sure, they had mended that to the best of their abilities, but seeing her and her son now, it still stung knowing what she had said.

Well, nothing she could do about it now. She'd already apologized, and now they were...friends...ish... So, really, all she could do was try to form a bond with her former rival.

Beatrix, meanwhile, was having very similar thoughts, remembering how she'd made a total ass of herself when she'd first met her little pupil... Yeah... She'd definitely been in the wrong there...

She had reduced the kid to tears, and then later gotten into a full on smack down with his mom. One she lost pretty horribly. Regardless, things were much better now, and she hadn't expected them to be this good. Harry wasn't just a good student, she had to admit, he was really cute.

And Cerebella? She was...actually not that bad. Sure, she still strived for the woman's spotlight, but she'd learned that her rival wasn't as foolish as she let on. Sure, she was blindly devoted to Vitale, but thinking about it, that made sense due to her upbringing... But she proved that, at the very least, she made a very stellar parent. And that was worthy of respect.

"So, what do you guys want to do after this?" Cerebella suddenly asked, snapping Beatrix out of her thoughts.

"Eh, Whatever you two decide I'll be fine with." Beatrix shrugged. "I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to try and jump us, but maybe we should stay away from the east side of town." Cerebella nodded, not wanting to talk about when she was attacked and nearly got Harry hurt.

"That big guy was totally awesome by the way." Cerebella was surprised at that, looking at the magician with wide eyes. "Yeah, I saw a few things when I taught Harry how to share memories."

"Ah..." Cerebella mumbled, looking down. "Yeah... I was honestly really scared back there... I thought I'd lose my kid..." She kissed Harry's head.

"Really now? Not at all hung up on the fact that you were about to get...y'know?" Beatrix asked.

"Honestly, I wasn't even thinking about that. I was just focusing on keeping Harry safe... And if it meant... that... then I'd take it for him twenty times over."

"Huh." Beatrix said. She had been expecting something along those lines, but to hear just how dedicated Cerebella was... it made her feel off. She had treated Cerebella awfully in the past, they had fought, and she had even tired to kill her a time or two. But looking at her now, she didn't see her rival. She saw someone doing everything in their power to protect a small, little boy who had been on the wrong side of so much hatred.

She studied Harry closely, then looked back at Cerebella. "...You care about him a lot, don't you?" Cerebella gave her a smile... It lacked any of her usual cockiness or amusement, and instead exuded warmth.

"Yeah. I really do... It's weird, I know... I've only known him for a week at this point... But y'know... I just feel like...him and I were always meant to be... It feels like he was just... meant to be a part of my life... He needed someone that would love him... Someone that would actually take care of him... He... He needed a mother, at this point in his life more than anything... And I guess I just sorta...knew that, y'know? Like, my gut was trying to nudge me into seeing it since the second I saw him... Heh... It really was love at first sight... The second I saw him alone in that dumpster, I knew that he needed me... Guess that might sound a bit conceited, but it just felt...right..." Tearing up very slightly, she kissed Harry's head. "I love him. And I'd give it all up for him..."

"I love you too, mommy." Harry replied happily, snuggling closer to his mother. Beatrix couldn't hide the smile that formed on her face.

"Well, I'd say you're doing a good job." She remarked, earning a smile from Cerebella.

"Thanks. You've been doing a great job teaching him how to control his magic." Cerebella replied. "I honestly... I honestly wouldn't have had any idea how to help him train and control it."

"Well, yeah. You don't have much magic of your own. Vice-Versa's pretty much all you got for it. I'm the magician of the group, so it's only natural I'm the one that can teach the spells."

"Eh, I guess." Cerebella shrugged. "Welp, better finish off our food before it gets cold."

After finishing, the trio was walking around town in search of more to do.

Harry was enjoying being with his mama and teacher. He was amazed at how not scary Miss Beatrix was... He was also thankful she was helping him with his fre-no with his magic. Miss Beatrix was right, his magic wasn't freaky. It was a gift.

He enjoyed their magic lessons, and he liked spending time with her just as much as he liked spending time with his auntie Feng. Not as much as his mama though... No one could surpass his mama in his eyes.

Cerebella unconsciously began rubbing his back soothingly, making Harry squirm happily as he got comfortable in his mama's arms. The trio found themselves at a video store, and Cerebella stopped to see what had recently released.

"Hmm... Hey, this looks like something the kid would like watching." Beatrix pulled out a case containing an animated movie.

"Oh hey, it's that new Bisney movie. It's out on DVD already, huh?"

"Yeah, never really watched these myself..." Beatrix admitted.

"Alola and Scratch?" Cerebella said. "Sure, you wanna watch it with us?" Beatrix was taken aback by the offer. She hadn't really expected her and Cerebella to spend a day like this ever, with or without Harry. But now she was asking her to watch a movie with them? Part of her mind was screaming 'No!' But there was a calmer part saying 'Yes'.

She stumbled about for an answer, before deciding on "Uh... Sure, whatever..."

Harry didn't pick up on her hesitation, but seemed happy regardless. They rented the film and kept walking, aimlessly looking at stores as they went, trying to make conversation, but usually this led to awkward silences.

Eventually, they reached the Cirques de Cartes after not being able to find much else to do. "Man... City's not a very good place to entertain a kid, is it?" Cerebella mused.

"Yeah, it's definitely more adult oriented." Beatrix agreed with a shrug. "I don't think we even had the bowling alley until recently." Cerebella shrugged.

"Well, what're you gonna do, right? I'll just have to make the entertainment for him."

Looking down at Harry (who had fallen asleep) Beatrix smirked. "I think you holding him is more than enough." She commented, and cerebella frowned.

"Yeah, it's just... after all he's been through, I want him to be happy." Beatrix groaned, sounding much more like her old self.

"Look. Bella. You need to stop." She said flatly.

"Stop what?" Cerebella demanded, somewhat agitated.

"This self doubt crap!" Beatrix retorted. "You keep talking like you're still not sure if you want a kid! You found him, you took him in, you've fed him, comforted him, even beaten the crap out of a street gang for him! You're probably the best mom this kid, or maybe anyone, could ask for! So this constant 'I wanna make him happy, I wanna make sure he's safe!' crap needs to stop. I get that you want to keep him from getting hurt. But constantly second-guessing yourself isn't going to help."

Cerebella looked at her in surprise. "Second guessing? Who's second guessing?" She asked. "Not really sure how you came to that conclusion, honestly."

"What, so you're saying you're completely confident in yourself already? After you've known him for a week?" Beatrix replied with a raised brow.

"Well... Not entirely. A week's a bit too soon to get that confident... But still... I know I can do the parent thing. I know Harry needs me. And I know there's no going back now that he's calling me mommy. I'm saying these things because I really do love him. And I want people to know that I love him. I want the world to understand that this is my kid." She kissed Harry's cheek. "I really do want him happy and safe... I'm not just saying that to psyche myself up or anything."

Beatirx was silent for a few moments before simply shrugging, not having a full response. "Well, it's safe to say that at least Harry thinks you're doing a good job." The magician finally said. "So, that counts as a reason for people to know you love him." Cerebella hadn't seen Beatirx like this before, she wasn't be aggressive, she wasn't being condescending, even when they talked while she was training Harry, she still kept this air of entitlement to her. But this felt genuine. This felt real.

She gave the magician a small smile. "Heh... I misjudged you, Beatrix. You can be a bit of a snob some...well, most of the time, but you can actually make for pretty good company."

Beatrix quirked her brow. "Yeah? Likewise, except replace snobbishness with gullibility and naivety." She said with a smirk. Cerebella gave her a light punch to the shoulder, and chuckled when she barely reacted.

"Heh... You can take a hit WAY better than Feng. Every time I give her a friendly bump, she always whines about it."

"Hmm... I wonder why that could be." Beatrix said rather sarcastically as she rubbed her shoulder with a small frown. Cerebella laughed as they kept walking. Harry now began to awaken again and looked around groggily.

"M..mama?" He mumbled.

"Hi sweetie, we're almost back." Cerebella cooed.

He snuggled in closer to her embrace with a smile. "Mm'kay..." He mumbled, relishing in his mother's warm, soothing embrace. She smiled and petted his head.

"All right, we're back now." Cerebella opened the door and set her son down on the couch gently. "C'mon in, Bea. Take a seat, make yourself comfy. I'll go get some snacks."

As Cerebella left, the awkward silence from earlier returned. Harry and Beatrix hadn't talked too much outside of training, so now they sat next to one another, both trying to figure out what to say. "Hi Miss Beatrix." Harry finally said.

Beatrix looked over and nodded in his direction. "Hi, kid. So uh... You doing well, I hope?" Harry nodded his head, smiling softly.

"Uh huh! It's been a really good day!" He said happily. Beatrix smirked lightly.

"Yeah, bowling was pretty fun, huh? You demolished us."

Harry looked away, seeming embarrassed, but Beatrix could see the smile on his face. Why was this kid so adorable? Cerebella had returned now, setting a bowl of popcorn down on the couch before putting the movie into the player.

The three sat and watched the movie in silence. Cerebella had to excuse her part at a couple points to 'fix her makeup'. Beatrix didn't know what she'd meant until she returned with her eyes slightly puffy. Well, that surprised her all right. She always saw Cerebella as the cocky showoff that always maintained a cheerful attitude, not someone that gets emotional over an animated children's movie. Then again, she hadn't ever thought Cerebella would adopt a homeless child like one would a stray cat, but here was Harry. Actually, she hadn't noticed that Harry had moved slightly closer to her throughout the movie, and was sitting next to her now.

She looked over at him with a raised brow, silently questioning why that was. Wouldn't he rather be with his mother? She was the most important person in his life... She was just his teacher. Still, she decided not to make a big deal out of it. Reaching over, she gently patted his head, and blinked when he leaned into the touch like a kitten. 'That's...cute.'

Harry was still focused on the movie, and didn't notice as Beatrix slowly placed her arm around him, having seen what Cerebella had done, and timidly trying it herself.

He subconsciously leaned into the magician's side, used to his mama holding him like this. Beatrix noticed, and her face turned slightly red. Cerebella noticed as well. She was surprised to see Beatrix openly showing Harry a display of affection. She felt a slight twinge of something in her gut, as if butterflies were flapping about, but she figured it was nothing to think too hard on. She was just amused at how cute the little scene before her was.

Beatrix's eyes darted back and forth, trying to figure out what to do. She didn't want to tell Harry to move, but she also didn't want him to stay like this. Yet there was something that felt... right. Like that little girl inside her that appeared when Harry first hugged her. This felt like something she never knew she wanted, but now wanted more than anything.

'Well, Beatrix, can't get cold feet now. Ya made your bed, you have to sleep in it.' She thought. She continued to watch the movie, keeping Harry held against her side. The end credits rolled, and she heard Harry's soft breaths. Looking over at him, she saw that he had fallen asleep, cuddled up against her side, sucking his thumb.

'Heh, I can't lie. That's adorable.' She thought, gently patting him. She looked up and her face turned red with embarrassment when she saw Cerebella pridefully smirking at her. "One word and I'll take him and disappear." The magician said threateningly. Cerebella however, just raised a brow with a smirk.

"You'd really risk your own life over that?" She asked cockily.

Beatrix snorted. "Don't say that like our rivalry's one-sided, all right? I've beaten you plenty of times before." Cerebella snickered into her hand.

"Yeah, but didn't I beat you without Vice-Versa just last week?" Beatrix huffed and crossed her arms under her bust, sticking her nose up in the air.

"That was a special case. You were hopped up on mama bear juices." She looked at the boy snuggled into her side and chuckled. "I bet you anything he thinks he's cozied up to you right now..."

Cerebella opened her mouth to respond, then realized Beatrix may be right, but she also wasn't one hundred percent sure that she wasn't... She couldn't tell what Harry was thinking, but either way she found it adorable. "Well, would he be opposed to it going either way?" She asked. Beatrix felt somewhat embarrassed again now.

She gazed at the sleeping child and held him closer to her side, looking somewhat thoughtful. "Penny for your thoughts?" Cerebella asked.

"Hmm? Oh...It's nothing, just wondering what it's like to be a mom..." Cerebella smiled fondly and scooted over closer, gently sandwiching Harry between the two women.

"It's... a really great feeling. I mean... I don't think I've ever felt so loved by anyone in my entire life. It's kinda hard to explain... It's a really special feeling, y'know? I feel like you'd have to experience it firsthand to really get it..." They sat in silence for a moment.

"You never said much about your family. Is there a reason for that?" Cerebella asked, and noticed a sudden, drastic shift in Beatrix's emotions.

"Th...they..." She stammered for a moment then sighed. "I don't really want to talk about it. But needless to say, they were a lot like Harry's family." This took Cerebella aback, her face turning white with shock. She felt horrified to hear that, and felt guilty for all the crap she had put Beatrix through.

She reached over and put a hand on the magician's shoulder. The other woman tensed up slightly, but made no move to stop her. Cerebella rubbed her shoulder didn't really know what to think of the situation. Her former rival, someone she'd hated with every fiber of her being, was touching her... And she was actually enjoying it? Feeling more comfortable and at ease? Feeling relaxed... As if she was finally in the presence of a supportive friend...

This was weird. Borderline inconceivable. But Beatirx didn't react or pull away. She remained quiet, looking down at the sleeping form of Harry every so often, before letting a small smile grow on her face. "Okay, I'll admit it." She finally said. "This kid is way too adorable for his own good."

"I know. But I don't know what to do about it..." Cerebella pouted mockingly.

"Well, only thing to do about it is wait for him to get older. Then he'll stop being cute and start being handsome." Beatrix replied with a shrug.

Cerebella looked down at her son and smiled softly. "Yeah, he'll grow up to be a handsome guy... But really, I don't want him to grow up..."

"I think I have a spell for that." The magician replied, and Cerebella's eyes widened comically.

"Really!?" She exclaimed, her outburst making Harry squirm slightly before nuzzling back down.

"...No." Beatirx replied flatly, deflating Cerebella's energy. "I know spells to reverse certain aspects of aging, but I don't know how to stop a person from aging altogether. Besides, from what I've heard from... contacts... messing with magic to attempt to life forever or de-age yourself is dangerous."

Cerebella winced. "Yeesh... Get my hopes up, only to burn them right down..." She mumbled. Beatrix winced, rubbing her arm sheepishly.

"Yeah...Sorry, force of habit... I guess I'm just kinda used to you and I hating each other, so I said that on reflex essentially." She admitted.

"Yeah, I get it." Cerebella nodded regardless before looking down at Harry again. "Still, I'll take what I can get for as long as I can." As if on cue, Harry yawned and turned over in his sleep. Cerebella gently rubbed his head as he slept, smiling as she listened to his peaceful breathing. The two women watched Harry sleeping peacefully and smiled down at him, Beatrix with amusement and Cerebella with tenderness. Finally, Beatrix spoke up.

"Maybe you should get the kid to your bed so he can nap a bit." Cerebella looked at her and nodded before carefully scooping Harry up and holding him against her shoulder, patting his back gently.

"Hey Beatrix." The magician looked at her. "Wanna stick around? I actually like hanging out with you."

Beatrix was again surprised by how the night was turning out, but didn't feel as awkward about responding this time. "Sure." She nodded. Cerebella smiled and carried her son upstairs. 'This is wrong...' Beatrix thought. 'But also, this feels right.'

She reclined against the couch with a light smirk, crossing one leg over the other. 'Heh... This sure beats spending all night alone in my room with my rabbits.' She thought. She then felt a small weight on her lap, and a long, furry tail tickling her nose. Blinking, she looked down to see Kitty sitting on her lap, staring up at her curiously. "Huh? Oh yeah, that cat Cerebella scooped out of the gutter last year..." The magician mumbled to herself. Kitty mewled, and Beatrix gave him a light scratch behind the ears.

Kitty mewed happily and leaned into the scratch, purring contently. Beatrix keep absentmindedly petting the cat, her mind continuing to wander. "It's weird... seems like everyone Cerebella loves she finds in a gutter..." Beatirx mused. "You, Harry... Sooner or later, she'll find her husband passed out in an alley."

"Husband or wife. Heh, I swing both ways." Beatrix looked up to see Cerebella stepping back into the room, taking a seat on the couch next to her.

"Huh. That right?" She asked with a raised brow. Cerebella grinned and winked in response.

"Doesn't matter to me whatcha got down there, as long as you're cute." Beatrix quirked a brow and smirked lightly.

"Yeah? Where do I fall on the scale?" Cerebella's face turned slightly red, but she didn't notice. "Heh... Don't answer that."

The two sat in awkward silence before Beatrix spoke up again. "So uh... Read any...good books lately?" She asked. Cerebella blinked and chuckled awkwardly.

"Heh... I'm...not much of a reader... Uh... I read Harry a few bedtime stories if that counts... Uh... Bunch of nursery rhymes... Humpty Dumpty's a real read...Heh..."

Beatrix chuckled. "Never quite got into the joys of reading, did you? Guess that explains why your cat is named Kitty. Never had a good book to draw inspiration from."

"Oh yeah? So what did you name your rabbits then?"

"Peter and Hazel."

"...Damn it, those are good..."

Kitty meowed again, as if agreeing with Beatrix, and Cerebella facepalmed.

"Why does no one ever take my side on these things?" She groaned.

"My guess is that they want to be on the winning side." Beatrix smirked.

"Winning side? Then explain just about every fight wee've ever been in." Cerebella countered.

"Simple. You have brute strength, but without it, you wouldn't have anything to define yourself with." Beatrix replied before realizing how harsh that sounded.

"Well yeah, but without your magic you'd still look like an edgy teen desperately trying to 'fight the culture man'." Cerebella shot back, not picking up on the accidental insult.

Beatrix winced and decided to stop before she put her foot in her mouth again. "Uh... Heh... Riiiight..." She said awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head.

Cerebella blinked at her reaction. "Wait, were you actually that kind of person when you were a teenager?" Beatrix snorted and gave her a smirk.

"Please, I never stopped being that kind of person. Sticking it to the man is hilarious."

"You never try to stick it to Regina."

"That's different. I swear that woman's some kind of demon." The two went silent again. "Uh... So... About what I said... About your strength being the only thing that defines you? Uh... I mean, I guess you've...got the biggest heart in the circus..." She mumbled awkwardly.

"Whoa, really? Even Hubrecht?"

"Yeah... Hubrecht's never pulled anyone out of the gutter to give them a better life, or gone out of his way to make people feel better about things, or...decided to give me a chance after I spent all that time being a nasty, judgemental bitch..."

"Well, to be fair, I think Hubrecht would do those things, if he wasn't so busy eating all the cotton candy." Cerebella reasoned, earning a small laugh from Beatrix.

"Geez, how much of that stuff does he eat?" The magician shook her head. "Further more, how's he still as muscular as he is?"

"I always assumed you had some steroid spell you kept using on him." Cerebella laughed, shrugging slightly. "Maybe you should,d use it on yourself, then maybe you could beat me."

"Ay, are we STILL on that?" Beatrix rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm not saying I'm CLEARLY the better fighter-"

"Seriously, how many times do you need to be reminded of the times I won our fights?"

"Well, can I help it if you're cute when you're frustrated?"

"Oh?" Beatrix donned a sly smirk. "Why Cerebella, could it be that you're coming on to me?" Cerebella opened her mouth to respond, but realized what was happening, and looked around awkwardly.

"Well... what if I am?" she replied slyly.

"I'd say you're terrible at it." Beatrix replied flatly, earning an annoyed face from Cerebella, which was clearly what she wanted.

"I can still beat you into the ground you know."

Beatrix smirked. "This would go one of two ways, Cerebella. Either I get hammered headfirst into the dirt, or you end up knocked out with that already too revealing dress tattered and torn to shreds."

"Sounds to me like you're looking to have a sparring match." Cerebella said, feeling the same spark that came up during the bowling match.

"Hmm... I suppose I could stand to work off the calories from our lunch. Shall we take this outside then?" Grinning confidently, both women made their way to the door. Cerebella was about to step out, but Beatrix grabbed her shoulder and maneuvered herself in front. "Ah-ah-ah. Ladies first, neanderthals second, hun." She said with a wink.

Cerebella in response, cracked her knuckles aggressively. While it didn't show on her face, Beatirx gulped somewhat. She wasn't scared of Cerebella, but she knew better than to believe she was all muscle and no brain. Following behind her... co-worker, the two walked out to a grassy patch where they wouldn't be seen.

Cerebella smirked and rolled her shoulders to warm up. "Sure you wanna do this? I wouldn't blame ya for wanting to back out now." Beatrix rolled her eyes.

"Y'know, you always end up losing to me when you get cocky like this." She said flatly, quirking a brow. Cerebella chuckled and Vice-Versa lifted his fists.

"Yeah, but this time, you were the one that technically instigated it with that crack about my 'lack of talent', which means I'm probably gonna win."

"Keep telling yourself tha-GAK!" Cerebella began to roll her eyes but was cut off by a show strike from Beatirx, knocking her back a few steps. "Hang on! Did we say we were beginning?!"

"I did." Beatrix smirked. "You were too busy being absorbed by your ego."

"Really now? Heh... Let's see just how absorbent that ego is then!" Vice-Versa reached forward and snatched the other woman off the ground. The arm of Vice-Versa slammed Beatrix into Cerebella's head just as it formed a pair of ram horns, launching the magician into a wall upon impact. Beatrix grunted as she bounced off the wall and flew back towards her rival, who was ready to repeat the move. This time, however, she was ready.

Tapping into her cloak's abilities, Beatrix vanished, then reappeared behind Cerebella, striking her in the back, then disappeared and re-appeared above her, hitting Vice-Versa. This went on for a few more strikes until Cerebella took a good guess where Beatrix would appear, and grabbed the magician the nano-second she appeared.

Beatrix grunted as Cerebella repeatedly slammed her into the ground, alternating between left and right before finally letting go of her. When the onslaught ended, Beatrix flipped back to her feet. With a snap of her fingers, a massive amount of dulled knives appeared behind her. Pointing forward, the non-lethal cutting utensils launched themselves at Cerebella.

Cerebella rolled her eyes, as if saying 'I expected more' before she and Vice-Versa began countering the blades, or outright punching through them. With inhuman strength, Cerebella jumped into the air.

What she didn't realize, however, was that Beatrix had simply used the knives as a distraction. Smirking, the magician snapped her fingers, and the three crackling orbs of fire slammed into Cerebella from behind.

The weightlifter slid across the ground before using it as a sort of springboard and launching herself back up. Now the two women went head-to-head as they ducked and waved in and out of each other's punches.

Despite the ferocity of their strikes, neither woman showed any sign of their previous animosity. In fact, they were grinning widely at one another the entire time they fought.

Eventually, Beatrix broke the cycle of punches by snapping her fingers, causing a bright flash of light that briefly blinded her opponent. As Cerebella reeled back, Beatrix managed to land several strikes against her with one of her knives, taking great care not to draw blood.

However, Vice-Versa was quick to recover from the flash, and it slammed its fist down onto the magician's head, sending her sprawling facefirst to the floor. "PROTEGO!" Beatrix yelled, managing to block another strike with an invisible shield of magic.

The strikes kept coming, and they were actually causing her barrier to shake. Beatrix was shocked by that, she had never seen someone be able to punch through her protection shields before!

Thinking quickly, she apparated with a quick flex of concentration and punched her rival in the back of the head. Vanishing again the second Cerebella turned to counter, she hit her in the ribs.

This continued for several seconds before Cerebella successfully managed to predict where her opponent would appear and snatched her up with Vice-Versa.

The hat's muscular arms twirled her around, then released her foot and sent her flying, causing her to crash into a pile of broken wood.

"Agh... Beatrix groaned, now actually feeling pain as she felt splinters and cuts all over her arms and somewhat down her back. But she wasn't about to give up, she tried forming weapons with her shadows, but decided rather than swords or knives, she went with two spiked fists, deciding to use Cerebella's style against her.

Cerebella saw the two large fists and grinned. "Fighting fire with fire, are ya? Well, fat lot of good that's gonna do ya! I've been honing this style for years!"

"Yep, you sure have. But I have a few surprises to throw into the mix." Beatrix replied. She clapped the fists together, held them behind her for a moment, then launched a series of magical bursts.

Cerebella met this attack head-on, raising one of Vice-Versa's hands to block it. She punched several more away, before grabbing the last one in Vice-Versa's hand and squeezing, compressing it into a diamond, which she threw at Beatrix.

Beatrix smirked and grabbed it with her magic, Cerebella suddenly realizing her mistake of throwing something at the woman teaching her son how to catch things with magic. Thankfully, Vice Versa was able t deter most of the impact of when the diamond returned.

Unfortunately for her, Beatrix had left a little surprise within the diamond... The second Vice-Versa's fist made impact with the diamond, it exploded and launched her back into a concrete wall hard enough to crack it.

Before she had a chance to regain her bearings, Beatrix appeared in front of her, smugly checking her nails as she had the fists she created pummel her opponent.

Cerebella took a few nasty shots, even getting a couple bruises, before Vice-Versa began punching back, the two sets of fists rapidly clashing against each other with enough force to create shockwaves. Cerebella grinned. "This is WAY too freaking fun!"

Beatrix smirked and swung again, but this time hit the ground. The forceful impact caused a small shockwave that made Cerebella stumble back in surprise. Beatrix took the opportunity to launch herself forward.

Cerebella grunted as the tackle knocked the wind out of her lungs, and she was knocked through a brick wall, tumbling slightly before landing in an alleyway.

Beatrix leapt down to greet her, slamming the fists down atop her torso, further disorienting her. She then proceeded to have her fists knock Vice-Versa clean off her head.

Now that her opponent's main form of attack was separated, Beatrix's magical fists grabbed Cerebella around the waist, then turned and slammed her headfirst into the concrete, causing the greenette to get her entire upper body lodged in the ground, buried up to her waist with her legs sticking out.

Beatrix grinned smugly, confident that she had won...but forgot Vice-Versa had a mind of it's own. Yelping when she was abruptly grabbed and hoisted off the ground, she screamed as she was slammed headfirst into the ground next to Cerebella, ending up in the exact same situation and effectively ending their bout.

"Mmmph?"

"Mmmm."

Both women tried to speak up but neither could hear the other from where they were trapped. They both pressed their feet against the ground and pushed up to try and escape, shaking their butts about as they did so.

Eventually, Beatrix grew tired of it and, with a flex of concentration, used her magic to reappear above ground. She clutched her head with a groan, then looked over to see the still trapped Cerebella rotating her posterior in a circular motion in her struggles to escape. The magician smirked.

"My, my, quite a lovely view."

"...Wmm?"

"Heheh... I'm only teasing you." With a snap of her fingers, Cerebella was levitated out of her hole, spitting out some gravel and groaning in disorientation.

"Right... I'll think twice about teasing you next time..." She grumbled. "Hm. So... who won?" Cerebella asked.

"Technically, I got out first so I guess I did." Beatirx smirked with pride.

"But I was the one that put us there in the first place." Cerebella retorted.

"Yeah, you wish. I put YOU there first, remember? Your hat snuck up on me after I won, then plowed me into the ground." Cerebella blinked.

"But...You...I... Uh... Crap... Agh, damn it, fine, you win..." The greenette pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. Beatrix smirked and flicked her nose.

"Hmph! You're cute when you're sulking." The magician leaned close to Cerebella's face with a teasing smirk. Cerebella huffed and looked away, not realizing the blush that had formed on her face. The odd feeling from earlier was coming back...

"Well, I think we should head back. If Harry wakes up, he might not want to be left alone." Cerebella commented, and Beatirx nodded wordlessly.

Beatrix noticed Cerebella's demeanour was off and raised a brow in confusion. She seemed very slightly more... bashful? Yes, that summed it up... Then she remembered the woman told her she was bi and smirked ever so slightly. She was showing signs of a crush... Perhaps it would be fun to tease her every now and then.

The two women walked back, and Cerebella seemed to be either looking ahead, or awkwardly looking down at the ground. Eventually the pair returned to where they lived and Beatirx stopped to look at Cerebella.

"Today was fun." She said, somewhat awkwardly.

"Yeah, it was." Cerebella nodded.

Cerebella turned to look at Beatrix. "It doesn't have to end yet y'know. Um... You can stick around for dinner if you want. Uh... Heh... I can't cook to save my life, though, so..."

"I could cook something." Beatrix chipped in immediately. Cerebella blinked at that, clearly surprised. Beatrix quirked a brow at her in response.

"I didn't think you were the type that was into cooking." Cerebella admitted. Beatrix smirked.

"Well, I'm a woman of many talents. Powerful magician, badass fighter, awesome cook, and a real looker to boot."

"Well, you are a magician, and a fighter. Not sure about your cooking, but I wouldn't say-"

"Do you want me to make food for you or not?" Beatrix flatly cut in, sounding more like the Beatrix Cerebella had known for so long.

"Yes." Cerebella said almost immediately. Beatrix huffed, with a roll of her eyes, and entered Cerebella's home.

As Beatrix entered the kitchen, Cerebella took the opportunity to go upstairs and check on Harry. Opening the door to her room, she smiled. Still sleeping... Approaching her sleeping child, she gently took his hand and gave it a squeeze, causing him to subconsciously squeeze back. After a few moments, he began to stir. "M-Mama...?" He mumbled softly. Cerebella pulled him out of bed, cuddled him close to her breast and kissed his cheek gently.

"Hi baby, you sleep well?" She cooed, letting Harry snuggle up to his mother. He closed his eyes and cooed happily, Cerebella took it as a 'Yes'. "Miss Beatrix is making us dinner, want to see if she needs help?"

"Yes please."

Cerebella chuckled and carried her boy downstairs, patting his back gently all the while. She entered the kitchen to find Beatrix already hard at work. She was working with complete and total ease, even moreso than Feng. It was like cooking was second nature to her, as she prepared the meal with minimal effort. Beatrix noticed them enter and turned to meet them. "Heh... Sleeping beauty's awake, I see."

"Hi miss Trix..." Harry mumbled, still waking up.

"Heh, hi to you too little guy." Beatrix replied calmly. "You didn't have a lot to work with, so we're having chicken parm." She then addressed Cerebella.

Cerebella grinned and nodded her head. "Music to my ears! That's good stuff." She said happily. Beatrix nodded.

"It also happens to be my specialty."

"Great!" Cerebella said, setting Harry on the counter and getting him some juice to drink. Beatrix looked over and smiled at Harry, getting a smile in return.

"Smells good?" The magician asked.

"Uh-huh!" Harry replied with a nod. "I made this once! But I... wasn't very good at cooking when I made it, so I burned it up, and..." Harry's smile faded and he looked at his juice with a sad frown.

Beatrix noticed his change in demeanour and put a hand on his shoulder gently. "You're too little to be cooking by yourself anyway. Of course you'd make a mistake like that." Inwardly, however, she was raging. 'Some idiot let this kid near a stove by himself?! What were they thinking?! He could have gotten burned or started a fire!'

'Wait... oh... oh God...' Beatrix blinked briefly freezing as she remembered what she had seen. She hadn't seen Harry being burned, but if he was being forced to cook, it stood to reason that he would have been burned... She quickly shook her head to clear it, turning back to the food. Harry took a sip of his juice, not seeming to notice her silent fury.

Cerebella watched Beatrix interact with her son and smiled softly before stepping up and pulling him into a hug, rubbing his back gently. "It's okay, little guy... That part of your life's over now. They can't hurt you anymore. Not as long as your old lady's still alive and breathing." She said with a wink.

"Thank you..." Harry mumbled shyly, looking away, embarrassed. Cerebella grinned and gave her son a kiss. Beatrix shot them a quick glance and smiled. That kid really was adorable... She felt bad for how she had treated him earlier.

"The food will be ready in a few minutes, you two should grab a seat." Beatirx remarked, not looking back to the pair.

"Great! Can't wait!" Cerebella said with a grin, carrying Harry over to the table.

She set her son down so that he would be seated between her and Beatrix, figuring the magician would appreciate that. Taking her own seat, she waited patiently. Beatrix finished cooking their meal and set their plates down in front of them. "Feel free to tell me how great I am." She said in a haughty manner.

"It looks really good Miss Beatrix." Harry said, his tone so genuine and sweet it caught both women off guard. Beatirx was a bit surprised then smiled.

"Why thank you little one." She cooed playfully, patting his head. Her tone was sickly-sweet and Cerebella knew it was to annoy her, but Harry didn't pick up on that.

Indeed, the tan skinned woman rested her hand on her cheek with an annoyed expression. "Even as friendsish, you still love to get under my skin, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, you do make it pretty easy." Beatrix snickered. "But hey, don't act like you and Feng don't bug each other almost 24/7 either."

"That's true." Cerebella agreed, not even bothering to try and make an excuse. "But if anything, it's proof that we're friends." Beatirx didn't reply right away, taking in what was said last: 'It's proof we're friends'. If she was being honest, the magician would say that maybe, just maybe, she and Cerebella were friends. At least for Harry's sake.

"Yes, friends... Indeed..." Beatrix replied, looking down at her food. She didn'f want to show it, but she was feeling rather...bashful about the idea.

Cerebella noticed her shyness, however, and began thinking. 'Beatrix, shy? That's not like her at all... Guess she's just not used to having friends.'

Thankfully, neither woman brought the subject up further as they all sat down to eat. Cerebella watched as Harry tried to use the utensils, but struggled enough that she decided to help. With a gentle laugh, she cut some of his meal and held the fork up to the tiny boy, who opened his mouth expectantly.

He let his mother feed him with a content smile that warmed her heart. Beatrix watched their interactions and had to hide her smile under her hand. Cerebella decided she would cut the rest of Harry's meat into little bite sized pieces for him to make it easier to eat. He thanked her, then ate the rest of the meal by himself. He was quiet for most of the meal, simply enjoying the food, the two women enjoyed their food and occasionally looked over to Harry enjoying his meal.

Beatrix, for her part, felt a bit warmer than usual as she ate her dinner. Normally she'd just be sitting by herself. Having people around was a bit more gratifying. Yes... Perhaps being friends with Cerebella wasn't so bad at all. Sure, she was incredibly naive to her 'father figure'... But she did have a good heart.

Still, if anything did give her pause, it was the thought of Harry being brought up by the Medici family... She didn't think Harry could be twisted by them, but the thought of it sickened her. She wouldn't put it past them to try something like that...

Still, Cerebella was one of the best they had. If they wanted to keep her on their payroll, they would have to leave Harry alone. She just prayed they would... She also prayed that Vitale would keep the interactions with Harry to a minimum. He probably would... He already barely interacted with Cerebella unless he needed her.

How did Cerebella not see that? Well, Vitale had taken her in, so she never knew her parents. Beatirx's best guess was that to Cerebella, Vitale is what one would expect from a sort of parental figure... She was admittedly thankful she hadn't been more like him when she found Harry.

Perhaps...her interactions and relationship with Harry were a reflection of how she wished her relationship with Vitale was. If so, that was a rather sad thought. Honestly, she kinda wished Cerebella had failed to save Vitale from that knife throw. Sure, she would have been publically gunned down... but he'd be dead too.

Whatever. Beatrix shook her head slightly before looking back over to Harry. "You like it?" She asked.

"It's really good! I never got to try it before..." Harry said before taking another bite. Beatrix forced a smile as did Cerebella, but neither said anything for a moment.

"Well, good to know you like it." Beatrix finally said.

Harry didn't catch on to her concealed anger. He let out a happy little hum and continued to eat his dinner. Cerebella looked at him with a sad smile. 'I really hope he grows okay... Not eating enough isn't good for the little guy's health...' She thought with great concern. 'He's way too small...'

Thankfully, she knew with the amount she had been feeding him, he'd at least put some weight on his little bones. He was far too skinny, and both women knew why, and they were disgusted by it. "I have to admit Trix, this is really good." Cerebella finally admitted before taking another bite of her meal.

Beatrix donned that prideful nose in the air look Cerebella was getting increasingly more familiar with. "What can I say? I just worked my magic."

"Shoulda kept my big mouth shut." Cerebella said with a flat expression, resting her hand on her cheek. "I should know better than to feed the egomaniac."

Beatrix laughed in response. "Oh, I'M the egomaniac! Well then, guess I'll just consider you my own personal Feng!" Cerebella chuckled awkwardly.

"Uh...Heheh... Am I...really that cocky towards her?"

"Well, how many times have you brought up the elephant poop incidents?"

"...okay..." Cerebella tried to respond.

"And HOW many times have you held your strength above her? Hitting her knowing she can't fight back?" Beatrix pressed.

"Okay, well that time-"

"And HOW many times have you accidentally dropped her when you were trying to add to your routine?"

"That wasn't EXACTLY my fault..."

Beatrix sighed. "Uh... Sorry, I just... thought you should be a bit more aware... You two have a good friendship, and I don't think it should get damaged... Verbal teasing can only get her so far, y'know..."

Cerebella looked down at her food with a frown. "Wow, I... never thought about that... I thought I was just having fun with her..." She said softly.

"I know you wouldn't hurt her on purpose. You're too soft hearted for that. But I think you should talk to her. Let her know you appreciate her..."

Cerebella sighed, guilt creeping up her spine. She hadn't meant to hurt Feng... she was her best friend! If she was like that to Feng... Oh geez, what could she have accidentally done to Harry!? She accidentally bit her tongue as she was distracted, yelping in slight pain.

Beatrix looked up at Cerebella, and almost seemed to read her mind. "Cerebella, I doubt you've done anything to hurt Harry." She said. "You've been nothing but gentle and careful with him from day one."

"Y-Yeah, mama..." Harry agreed. "You never hurt me... Not even one time..." Cerebella looked over at him and pulled him into a tight hug.

"If I ever do accidentally hurt you, you just let me know, okay, buddy?" She said softly, stroking his hair like a kitten. "Meanwhile, I need to let your auntie know I care as soon as she gets home tonight..."

Beatrix sighed and shook her head. "Don't sweat it Cere. You and Feng are close, Even if you have hurt her, I think she knows you never intended to. Don't beat yourself up over the past."

Cerebella looked up at the magician and smiled lightly. "Who are you and what have you done with Beatrix?"

"I killed her and ate her liver." Beatrix replied flatly.

"Wh-What?!" Exclaimed a horrified Harry.

"Okay That May have been a bit dark..." The magician admitted. However, her slightly sheepish attitude turned to one of regret when she saw Harry burying his face into Cerebella's chest, shaking uncontrollably.

Cerebella looked at Beatrix with an awkward grin. "Heh... Guess he takes things pretty literally, huh?" Beatrix winced in respons, looking at Harry.

"M-Miss Beatrix is dead, mommy... And the person that killed her's taking her place... I can't believe she's gone... She was my friend..."

"Harry, she was joking." She said gently. "Miss Beatrix is just fine. She's not dead. She's as alive as you or me."

"Yeah, I was just kidding Harry, I didn't mean to upset you." Beatrix added, feeling uncharacteristically guilty when she saw how upset Harry was.

"Honest...?" Harry asked softly. "Y-You're not a scary alien dressed up as Miss Beatrix so that you can trick everyone and then eat their toes...?"

Both women laughed at his rather specific question, and Beatrix shook her head. "Heh... Last time I checked, I'm still a human being. And I definitely have no interest in eating toes."

"So... Is your liver okay...? Did it really get eaten...?" Harry asked timidly. Beatrix smirked and put her hand over where her liver was.

"It's still safely in my body."

"Until you destroy it drinking like that Richard guy..." Cerebella remarked, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, How is he still alive?!" Beatrix asked, then noticed Harry's confused face. "Oh, Richard is someone who works here, he repairs broken things, and he, Uh..."

"Oh... So he's like me. I had to try to fix broken things too... But um... I wasn't very good at it... I think I just made them worse and got in trouble..."

The two women looked to one another, both unsure of how to explain this to Harry, but the agitation over the fact that he was forced to perform potentially extremely dangerous repair work when it looked like he could barely stand on his own was sickening.

Cerebella gently squeezed her adopted son's shoulder. "That won't be happening again." She said gently. "You're just...way too little for that..."

"Thank you..." Harry said, his tiny voice sounding beyond relieved that he wouldn't be forced to do harsh labor like that again. The rest of the meal passed in relative silence, as the trio were mainly focused on the food.

After finishing their meal, Beatrix stretched and rose to her feet. "Well...It's been fun, you guys. But I should probably head back now... Almost time to feed my rabbits."

"All right, Beatrix. It was good getting to know ya. Let's do this again soon, yeah?" Cerebella replied with a light smile. Beatrix turned to acknowledge her.

"Yeah, I'd...I'd like that." She admitted. "See ya later, Harry." She took the time to give the little boy a pat on the head on her way out the door.

"Bye Miss Beatrix." Harry said with a tiny wave. Beatrix stopped and looked over her shoulder, smiling and waving back as she left. Cerebella sighed contently and picked up her son.

"Did you have a good day Harry?" She asked playfully.

"Uh-huh!" Harry nodded happily. "I like spending time with you."

Cerebella chuckled and messed up her son's hair before resting him against her shoulder. "Yeah, I like spending time with you too, bud. Now, we got a couple more hours before you go to bed... How about we give you your bath, then pop in another movie, sound good?"

"Yay!" Harry cheered, throwing his little arms up. Smiling, Cerebella carried her son upstairs to the washroom and filled up the tub until it was just right.

She carefully removed Harry's clothes, then blinked and beamed at the sight of her son's body. "Whoa, Harry, look at you! You've gained a little bit of weight! And those bruises and marks are going away too!"

"Yay!" Harry said happily again. Cerebella giggled at the adorable cheer. Picking her son up, she gently placed him the tub, setting to cleaning her son again. Humming contently, she scrubbed Harry clean and set to washing his hair, which thankfully wasn't grimy and filthy like it used to be.

After rinsing him off, she scrubbed him down with a loofah. Then, she grabbed the rubber duck and an old toy boat she used to play with as a child. Harry eagerly took the duck, and Cerebella knelt by the side of the tub and grabbed the boat. "It's a beautiful day for sailing! Wait... Could it be...? It is! It's the legendary Moby Duck!"

Harry giggled as he watched his mother splash the boat and make fake screaming sounds. "Ahhh! Oh no!" Cerebella mock yelled in terror. "It's so yellow! We're doooomed!" Harry laughed and splashed a little bit with the ducky,, getting some water in his mother's eyes.

"AGH! It's all gone black! We're goin' down!" She pushed the boat under the water. "Glub...Glub...Glub... Another ship sunken and joining Davey Jones' Locker... Moby Duck's truly unstoppable!" Harry squeezed the ducky and made it squeak. "That's his war cry... He's on the prowl for his next prey!" At that exact moment, Kitty came in and jumped onto the rim of the tub. Harry held Moby Duck up to Kitty and squeaked it. Kitty batted at it with his paws, smacking it upside the head. "Uh-oh! Moby Duck just ran into Cat Kong!"

Harry was laughing uncontrollably now, watching his mother yell this story. Kitty looked at the two then seemed to notice there was water. "Meow?" Kitty said quietly.

"Does Kitty want a bath?" Harry asked.

Cerebella snickered and looked at her pet. "Let's check." She lightly splashed some water onto Kitty... and he immediately went into panic mode. Cerebella yelped as Kitty jumped on her and scratched her up in his attempts to escape the hellish wet stuff known as 'water'. The cat ran into the hallway and Cerebella rubbed her messed up hair. "Uh...Heheh... I guess I'll take that as a no." She said sheepishly, wincing slightly. "Ow... Splashing a cat... Really stupid idea..."

"M'sowwy..." Harry mumbled, feeling like he had done something wrong.

"It's fine cutie, I probably should've thought before I did that." Cerebella chuckled. "Well, I think your about clean, let's get you all dried off!"

She grabbed a towel, gently pulled him out of the tub and wrapped him up like a coccoon, gently drying the boy off before carrying him to her room. Setting him down on the bed, she grabbed the blue footed pajamas that she thought looked ridiculously cute on him. Unravelling the towel, she gently helped him into the pajamas. After dressing him, she picked him up, bouncing him up and down in her arms, and smiled as he snuggled into her. "All right, let's go make some popcorn, then we'll watch the movie."

"Okay, mommy." Harry smiled, looking up at Cerebella. The weightlifter grinned and tucked him into one arm as she set to making a snack with her other. Within a few minutes, the smell of popcorn began to waft throughout the small kitchen. Cerebella put the popcorn into a large bowl and carried Harry back to her room.

She looked through her movie shelf, taking care to avoid the horror films, as she didn't want to traumatize her son with Thursday the 13th or Night Terror on Oak Avenue. She found an old classic she'd grown up watching when she was a young child. Toy Tale. The movie that had her trying to get her toys to talk for months after first seeing it.

She sat down with Harry nestled next to her and the movie began. Harry was enthralled by the movie, finding the toys funny, and watching the main two slowly develop respect and friendship for one another, it somewhat reminded him of his mama and Miss Beatrix. They didn't seem to get along at first, but now they seemed like friends.

Cerebella smiled at how enthralled her son seemed with the movie. She cuddled him close to her bust, gently feeding him popcorn and watching his reactions. When the movie ended, Harry let out a soft yawn. "Heh... Okay, buddy... Time for bed." She picked Harry up and carried him to her bed, tucking him in under the covers.

Harry smiled up at his mama and nodded, Cerebella smoothed the blankets out before sitting on the side of the bed. She sang a gentle lullaby to lull him to sleep. Harry seemed to be trying to keep awake, but the song and the warm blankets won out and he fell asleep.

Cerebella gave him a kiss, before hearing the door open. Feng was home, and now was the time to act on the little talk she'd had with Beatrix...

"Hey... Feng?" Cerebella timidly spoke up, getting her friend's attention. The smaller girl turned around and smiled at her friend.

"Hey Cerebella! How was your day with Harry?" Feng asked with a grin.

"Oh, uh. Really good." Cerebella nodded. "We ran into Beatrix and... actually had a nice time." When she heard that, Feng grinned in disbelief.

"Really? You and BEATRIX hung out today? Did she steal Harry or something?"

Cerebella smiled weakly and shook her head. "No, she... She just happened to be out on the town, and we bumped into her and let her join us. We went bowling, got lunch, watched a movie, had a spar, and she stayed for dinner."

Feng smiled at that. "Wow, Harry's really brought you two together, hasn't he? Before, you could barely be in the same room without trying to..." She then noticed Cerebella's demeanour and blinked. "What's wrong?"

Cerebella sighed and took a seat on the couch, rubbing her forehead. "Um... Feng...? Does my teasing ever...y'know...upset you...?" She asked softly.

Feng paused, and the brightness that usually surrounded her faded somewhat. She looked away and rubbed her arm. "Sometimes, but I know you're only joking." She replied, her tone almost monotone. "We're friends, so I know you don't mean it."

"Feng... I'm sorry." Cerebella finally got out.

Feng looked at her out of the corner of her eye. "I...I didn't even realize that I was hurting you... I'm... I'm not as good a friend as I thought I was, huh...?"

Feng frowned at that and pulled her friend into an embrace. "Don't say that. Sure, I don't always appreciate your...jokes, but you're an amazing friend. You support me when I really need it. You're always there for me when I need you... Remember when I had that really bad relationship with that nasty girl that kept putting me down, and calling me names, and slapping me? You totally lost it on her when you found out, and you sent her off with a broken hand, a black eye and a shattered ego?"

"...Then I sat with you all day long and helped you get over it..." Cerebella said with a soft smile before frowning. "But I do the same things, Feng... I'm not much better than her..."

"Yeah, but you don't do it to intentionally hurt me." Feng countered. "Admittedly, yes, you can go a little bit too far sometimes, but it's always clear that you'd never do anything to intentionally hurt me. You're my friend Bella, the things you've done were kinda annoying, but it's your way of joking. So don't beat yourself up over it."

Cerebella smiled at her best friend and pulled her into an embrace. "Heh... Thanks, Feng... I promise I'll try to tone it down from now on..."

"Um... You can start by loosening up the hug... Please...?" Feng croaked out. Chuckling sheepishly, Cerebella complied and Feng sighed in relief before hugging back.

The two girls shared the embrace for several minutes before pulling away. "So, how was your visit with the parents?" Cerebella asked.

"Oh, it was great!" Feng grinned. "They were really surprised when I told them you had adopted a kid, they were wondering if they'd ever get to meet him."

"Yes. They will." Cerebella replied almost immediately.

Feng smiled. "So let's hear more details about your day. You and Beatrix actually getting along like friends? You can't leave me hanging, I want details!"

Cerebella smiled. "Heh... Honestly, Feng, Beatrix is actually pretty good company when you get by her rough edges... Even when Harry went to sleep, she still hung around, and we had some pretty nice conversations."

"You sure it's the Beatirx we've been putting up with for the past few years, and not some inter-dimensional copy of her that's actually nice?" Feng asked questioningly, it did get a laugh from Cerebella though.

"Yeah, I'm sure." She nodded. She looked over in the direction of her room with a warm, tender grin. "Harry's definitely something special... Seriously, I am SO grateful to have him..."

Feng nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he is a pretty big part of Beatrix's transition from nasty bitch to loveable bitch." Cerebella snorted, then regained her tender expression.

"I'm...so glad he let me be his mom..." She said softly.

"Honestly, I think he'd take anyone over the life he seemed to have been living..." Feng sighed, and Cerebella nodded in agreement.

"Regardless, I'm happy I've been able to help him in any way I have. He's starved for affection and love, and I just want him to know that I love him."

"I think he knows." Feng replied with a smile.

Cerebella smiled softly at the thought of her precious son... She loved him, and he loved her right back... It truly was the ideal relationship between parent and child...

Feng, meanwhile, hoped that raising Harry would help her best friend understand how toxic her 'bond' with Vitale was. The bond between her and Harry... THAT is what a bond between parent and child should be, not the absolute bare minimum to get her to do their dirty work, only to scold them when it's not done perfectly to their standards.

Feng had tried a few times to help get Cerebella out of what could almost be described as an abusive relationship, but either Cerebella genuinely couldn't tell what was wrong with Vitale, or she was too afraid to try and stand up for herself... Feng was also worried that Harry may be corrupted by his influence, snd she didn't want to see his sweet innocence ruined by that man.

Shaking her head, she turned on the TV and flipped through the channels for something to watch, the two girls sitting in comfortable silence. They settled on some random cartoon, not really feeling up to watching any big movies that night.

Meanwhile, Beatrix was putting her rabbits in their cages for their bedtime. The small animals seemed to skitter about once they were back in their cages, but quickly settled down, rustling amidst the shavings to get comfortable. Beatrix however... was distracted. A million thoughts were running through her head. What exactly had happened today? She had mostly agreed to hang around with Cerebella more to make Harry happy... but she actually really enjoyed it. Not to mention that Cerebella wasn't as much of a stuck-up, self-centred entitled bitch she had usually thought of her as.

'But after everything you've done to tear her down... she was willing to help you up...' A thought ran through her head, with one question remaining unanswered: Why?

She laid down on her bed and stared blankly at the ceiling, trying to figure her rival out. After all the fights, the horrible names, the pure, unbridled hatred... Why like her?

She was the type to hold a grudge. No matter what, she would NEVER forgive her mother for walking out on her and leaving her with that monster in human skin...

But with Cerebella... her grudge was slowly fading. She felt little to no hostility towards her anymore... She winced as the memories came back... Cerebella had spent a year trying to befriend her, but she had always just thrown it back in her face until she'd gotten fed up and started biting back... All because she kept outdoing her...

'Am I really that petty?' She thought to herself, grimacing as she began to question why this had gone he way it had. 'Yes.' Seemed to immediately come to mind, and she had a hard time arguing it away.

She groaned in annoyance and looked over at her rabbits sleeping soundly. She smiled. Peter and Hazel never failed to improve her mood...

Honestly, it was kinda sad... For so many years, her pets had been the only thing she'd truly loved. Peter and Hazel were just the latest in a long line of pet rabbits...

But with Harry and Cerebella, she now felt she had someone else that was worth caring about... And it was a very nice feeling...

As she sat on her bed, leaning against the wall and relaxing, simply trying to enjoy the feeling for as long as it could last. Life wasn't easy for most of the people living in the circus, so sometimes you had to find the happiness where you could.

Whether it be through beloved pets, Hubrecht's cotton candy or Talliesin's... sexual harassment... Shaking her head, she pulled out a book, deciding to take her mind off it.


	9. Chapter 9

About two weeks had passed, and things were pretty much as good as you could hope. Harry and Beatrix kept on training, and Harry was making steady progress. However, the magician did have to remind him a few times not to be so hard on himself when he messed something up, and it took Harry a bit to fully take that to heart. Besides that, Harry had begun to get to know some of the other performers a bit better. While Cerebella tended to keep him from Talliesin, he had gotten to know Regina and Hubrecht a bit more. Against Cerebella's better judgement, she had let Regina show Harry her lions, and to everyone's shock, he had effectively pacified them within a few moments, having the two giant cats purring contently as he petted them like they were kittens.

It seemed Harry truly did have a way with cats. Those lions were his best friends next to Kitty. It was actually cute how close he was to them. Of course, it also probably helped that Regina was always watching, and everything was terrified of angering her. Still, she had let Harry help Regina train them, and they seemed to listen to him even better than her.

Cerebella had joked that Harry might he trying to take Regina's position if she wasn't careful, and Regina had given her a look that Cerebella believed was the look one would see before death, and that was just her playful glare. But aside from that, even Regina had to admit, it was nice having Harry around, and Cerebella was being a wonderful mother to him.

One day, however, their routine took a sudden change when Cerebella and Feng were called over to Vitale's office. The two girls walked side by side, Cerebella as giddy as a schoolgirl. "Whattya think he wants, Feng?! D'you think he wants to go out to lunch with us or something?!" She said excitedly. She was too hyperactive to notice the sad expression Feng gave her.

"Doubt it." She replied flatly, Cerebella raised a brow at Feng's lack of energy but didn't say anything. As the two walked into Vitale's office he set the phone down and turned to the pair.

"Ah, there you two are." He commented.

"Hi, Vitale!" Cerebella said eagerly, putting her hands on the table. "What do you want us to do? I'm all set!" She was hoping Vitale would at least ask how she was.

"Hmm, eager to please, are we? That is what I love most about you, Cerebella. Now then... There's a small business in Maplecrest that owes us fifteen thousand dollars in loan debt. I need the two of you to collect."

Feng mentally groaned, but knew better than to voice her complaints. She HATED to do this kind of work, and Cerebella was too oblivious to understand what it really was...

Wait. What about-

"What about Harry?" Cerebella suddenly asked.

Vitale briefly looked confused before an expression of rememberance dawned on him. "Ah yes, the boy... So he's still with you, is he?"

"Of course... I'd never get rid of him, Vitale. You know me better than that." Feng frowned at her friend, very much doubting that. Then she remembered.

"Beatrix is his backup babysitter, isn't she?" She asked. "We could just leave him with her for a couple days while we're gone." Cerebella perked up slightly, relieved she wouldn't have to leave her son alone.

"Good. The two of you are leaving tonight." Vitale said, settling the matter beyond any doubt. Cerebella nodded and left the office, Feng following behind her.

The two girls returned to the tent, where Beatrix was teaching Harry some minor transfiguration magic. He was successfully turning an apple into an orange. "Perfect job, as per usual." Beatrix said with a smirk. She then turned and saw the approaching duo. "Oh, hello Cerebella. Feng. What's up?"

"Hey, Beatrix." Cerebella knelt down and pulled her son into a tight hug, smiling lovingly as he cuddled up to her. "So, Vitale gave Feng and I a mission... We're gonna be gone for a couple of days... And since you did agree to be his backup babysitter if Feng's not available..."

Beatrix blinked in surprise then looked down to Harry with a small smile. "Sure." Beatrix shrugged. "I'll watch the kid." Cerebella gently picked up Harry, holding him close and smiling sadly at him.

"Harry, Feng and I are gonna be gone for a few days..." She paused when she saw his upset face. "Hey, we'll be back, I promise."

Harry snuggled in closer to his mother's embrace with a worried expression. He didn't want to be separated from his mama... He wanted to go too... Cerebella noticed his sadness and kissed his head. "Hey, don't worry, kid. Miss Beatrix is gonna be there with ya. You like her, don't ya?" Harry nodded slowly. "Heh... It'll be okay, buddy..." She looked at Beatrix. "Hey, would you be all right if Harry brought Kitty with him? A little extra reminder of home might do him some good."

Beatrix thought it over, not sure if a cat and her rabbits would mix too well, but at the same time, she figured this would be something Harry needed in order to not emotionally shut down. She decided that she could make it work. "Yeah, of course." Beatirx nodded. "I don't know if your cat and I are friends or not, but if it helps the little guy, I have no issue with it." Cerebella gave a loud sigh of relief.

"All right, B. So we're gonna be leaving later tonight. We'll stop by and drop him off before we go." Beatrix nodded her head in affirmation.

"All right. Are you two going to have dinner with him, or will you need me to cook for him?" She asked.

Feng and Cerebella looked to one another, then back to Beatirx. "I'll make sure he's fed before I drop him off." Cerebella answered.

"Alright, I think we're done for now then Harry." Beatirx said, looking down at Harry before smiling. "I think your mama wants to spend some time with you."

Cerebella gave him a toothy grin before nuzzling his cheek gently. "Darn right I do." She cooed. "Can't leave without making sure my special guy knows I love him!"

Feng cast a quick glance over to Beatrix, and was surprised to see her genuinely happy. She seemed to find the sight before her adorable. That... didn't seem right. Feng didn't know if Beatrix was capable of emotions besides bitterness and anger. Then again, Cerebella had been telling her that she seemed to have changed...

Feng shrugged and followed after her friend. If Beatrix truly had changed for the better, who was she to complain? All that was on her mind now was squeezing in as much time with her nephew as possible before they left.

Later that night, Beatrix sat in her den, reading a book. Peter and Hazel were running about, playing and getting up to their usual rabbit mischief. Then, she heard the knock that signified that it was time.

Opening the door, she smiled down at Harry, who was standing next to Cerebella and Feng. "Hi, little guy." She said in a friendly tone. "C'mon in." Opening the door more, Harry, Cerebella and Kitty entered her room. Peter and Hazel seemed interested in the newcomer pretty quickly.

Kitty approached the two rabbits and sniffed at Hazel, curiously trying to analyze this strange new creature. Hazel sat calmly and watched Kitty sniff at her. Beatrix chuckled. "Well, that went better than I expected... So, you're on your way now, huh?" Cerebella nodded her head.

"Yeah... Thanks a ton for watching him, Beatrix." She knelt down and pulled her son into a goodbye hug. "Okay, baby, mama's going now... Be good for Miss Beatrix, okay?" She kissed his cheek. "I love you."

"Bye mommy, bye Auntie Feng." Harry timidly replied, waving awkwardly as the two women waved back, then turned and left to get the job dealt with. There was a silence for a few moments until Beatrix spoke up.

"Hi, Harry, I think we're gonna have fun tonight." Beatirx spoke, eating a timid look from Harry in response. It made sense why he was nervous, every time the two had interacted, Cerebella was nearby.

Beatrix sighed softly and patted his head. "Hey... I know you're nervous about being away from your mom... You're pretty recently adopted, and she's always been there with you... But you can trust me, all right? You know I'd never do anything to hurt you."

Harry looked at her. "I know... I just... Do you think mommy will be okay...? When I met Mr. Vitale, he... he made me... kinda scared... Would he make mommy do something dangerous...?"

'Oh boy.' Beatrix blinked, trying to think of an honest answer that wouldn't traumatize him. Finally, Beatrix figured she had made enough of an answer that was both true and false. "Well, sometimes Vitale works with people who aren't very nice, and sometimes they do bad things that may hurt people. Your mom's job is to go and make sure that they can't hurt people anymore."

She wasn't...,lying, per se. Not everyone who worked with the Medicis was an innocent, naive victim. Vitale just...happened to be worse. Much, much worse. Harry looked even more worried. "M-Mommy's not gonna get hurt, right?!" He said in a panic. Beatrix blinked, then shook her head with a light smirk.

"Nah. Your mom's a tough woman. She can take on pretty much anything."

"Oh, okay..." Harry said, looking away slightly, feeling awkward about the whole thing. Suddenly, he felt something up against his leg, and looked down to see a rabbit looking up at him. "Oh. Hi..."

"That's just Hazel, don't worry, she's friendly." Beatrix smiled.

Harry knelt down slowly and reached his hand out to the rodent, who sniffed at it curiously before nuzzling her head beneath the boy's outstretched hand. Harry giggled softly at the feeling, already liking the small rabbit. Bunnies were kind of like kitties. Fluffy and warm and really really cute.

Beatrix smiled down at the sight, Peter and Hazel hadn't really met any of her other co-workers, but Hazel seemed completely intrigued with Harry, now letting herself be scratched and petted while Peter watched curiously from a distance. Of the two, he was always more nervous than anything.

Kitty, at that moment, had developed an interest in Peter. Approaching the apprehensive rabbit, the small cat sniffed him before nuzzling up against him. Peter looked at Kitty as if he was staring at an alien, eyes wide and ears twitching rapidly. Kitty purred lightly and brushed up against the male rabbit. Peter looked at his owner with an expression that very clearly said 'What is this thing and what am I supposed to do with it?'

Beatrix snickered and motioned down to Harry, who was contently petting Hazel. Peter's face, however, clearly read: 'Woman. You've lost it.'

Whether he was thinking this of her or Hazel, she didn't know, but she was just glad her rabbits seemed to be okay with the cat's presence. She decided to sit down and just watch Harry interact with the pets. Kitty eventually lost interest in Peter and decided he would rather play with Harry and Hazel.

Beatrix couldn't help but let out a gentle laugh as Kitty and Hazel now seemed to be chasing one another around Harry, making the tiny boy giggle cutely at the sight. Sure, she may have been seen as 'cold' but even Beatrix had to admit, it was pretty darn cute.

She felt a small weight in her lap and smirked lightly as she patted Peter on the head. He always was the more introverted of the two rabbits... She watched over Harry, absentmindedly stroking her pet's head. Eventually, Kitty and Hazel tired themselves out and laid on the floor, cuddled up to each other. "Uh-oh, Peter. Kitty's after your woman." Peter responded by touching his nose to hers.

She gently set Peter down on the floor again, and the rabbit slowly made his way over to Harry, seeming somewhat skittish, but also curious as to who this newcomer was. Eventually, he stood a few feet away from Harry and looked at the tiny boy. "Hi there." Harry said happily, and Peter tilted his head.

The boy reached out his hand to pet the rabbit, but he flinched away slightly, prompting him to retract his hand. "Oh... Sorry, bunny... Did I do it wrong...?" He asked timidly.

"You're fine, Harry." Beatrix called out. "Peter's just shy, that's all. Heh... I betcha you can relate nicely to that, can't you?" Harry blinked.

"Um... Is it bad to be shy...? I can try to stop..." He said softly.

"No... I mean..." Beatrix sighed, rubbing her face at her own idiocy for assuming someone like Harry would understand what she said. "It's fine to be shy, everyone is at one point in their life, and in your case, you have reason to be. But don't worry, Peter can just be a little nervous around new people. He'll warm up to you."

Harry nodded to show he understood, then looked back to Peter, who still seemed apprehensive about this tiny human. Beatrix got an idea of how to help. She quickly got up and entered the kitchen, before coming back out with a leaf of lettuce. "Here." She handed it to Harry. "He's open to bribes. Try feeding him this."

Harry held out the lettuce and Peter seemed to snap to attention. Beatrix couldn't tell if he was thinking 'Really woman?' or 'Oh hey, lettuce. He can't be that bad.' But considering the fact that he hopped forward and began eating the crunchy green leaf, Beatrix figured it was probably something along the lines of the second.

She watched as Peter slowly approached Harry before crawling into his lap and settling down. The boy's expression of delight was enough to make the corners of her mouth turn up. "Well, well..." She said with crossed arms. "It took me a month to get him to sit on my lap. You're quite the little animal whisperer, aren't ya?" She said with a wink.

Harry blushed and tried to hide it, but with the rabbit on his lap, it wasn't exactly possible. By now, Hazel had noticed the food and suddenly dashed over, hopping up next to Peter and taking a few chunks. Beatrix watched in genuine surprise. He was really good with animals.

Kitty decided he wanted in on it as well and nuzzled up by Harry's side, purring happily. Harry loved it. His furry friends, all spending time with him...

Beatrix just chuckled and shook her head, feeling like she could've left Harry with Kitty, Peter and Hazel, and he would've been alright. But then again, if Cerebella came home and saw she was gone, she probably wouldn't live to see the morning.

Not that she wanted to leave Harry alone. She did very much enjoy the boy's company, which was weird for her, as she normally found kids to be frustrating to be around. But Harry...Harry was well behaved and had been hurt... She could relate to him on a personal level. The fact that he was pretty cute helped too.

After a few minutes, the animals all seemed to find other things to do and all went their separate ways. Now, Beatirx sat down across from Harry and smiled. "So, what do you wanna do?" She asked.

Harry blinked at the question, then looked thoughtful. "Um... Whatever you want to do is fine." He eventually settled. Beatrix nodded her head.

"All right then. How about...you grab a seat, and I can read you a book?" She offered. Harry perked up. His mommy and auntie Feng had read him several books, and he enjoyed all of them. Beatrix noticed his reaction and smirked. "All right, so these aren't exactly 'kiddy' books like your mom probably reads... Ever hear of To Kill a Hummingbird?"

"N..no..." Harry whimpered. "Why...why would someone want to kill a bird?"

"Oh, don't worry, that's the title." Beatrix said, taking the book off the shelf and sitting next to him, with a little bit of space between them though. "It's actually about a man who tries to help those that are being hurt." Harry seemed to have interest when he heard that, and Beatrix gave him a slight smile. She knew she would have to, um, 'alter' some of the stories' events and dialogue (the last thing she needed was Harry asking Cerebella what certain words meant, or saying them without understating their true meaning).

She pulled the book open, and began to read it, just to gauge how the boy responded to it. Honestly, she wasn't sure what compelled her to pick this of all books... In hindsight, it seemed more likely to bore him than anything else. However, much to her liking, the boy actually seemed enthralled by the story. He didn't fully understand though... The idea of racial discrimination was very foreign to him... "I don't really get it." Harry said softly. "Why do these people get hated so much just because they have animal parts? I met a lady with kitty ears and a tail... She was really nice."

"Well... it's like the magic you have." Beatirx softly replied. "Some people are afraid of what's different, of what they don't know. And because of this, they feel the need to attack those they don't like." Sadly, her explanation seemed to work a little TOO well, as it seemed to bring up memories of Harry's past.

He looked down at the floor sadly, hugging his teddy bear close. The magician frowned before reaching over and patting his head gently. "But not everyone is like that..." She said gently. "For every person out there that would hate you for your magic...there's about thirty others that would love you just the same."

Harry looked up with a small smile, and Beatirx decided to continue the story. She also noticed Harry had moved a little closer to her as she read, and she made no movements to try and distance herself from him.

She reached the story's midpoint before deciding that that was enough for the night. She had a couple nights with him, there was plenty of time to spend with him. Placing in a bookmark, she closed the book and set it down. "Well... It's getting late, huh...?" She stretched slightly. "C'mon, little guy. Let's get you ready for bed." Harry nodded his head and followed Beatrix into another room. Kitty, Peter and Hazel followed after them, not wanting to be left behind. "This is the guest room. Go ahead, change into your pajamas and make yourself at home." She said with a friendly smile. "I'm just down the hall if you need anything."

"M'kay. Thank you, miss Beatirx." Harry nodded, and Beatirx noted that he seemed nervous, and it occurred to her that Harry may not have ever slept without Cerebella near by. She bit her lip, knowing she couldn't just climb in next to him and expect him to be okay, but she decided she'd stop by in ten minutes or so, just to make sure all was okay.

Harry climbed into bed and tucked himself in, making himself comfortable and looking over at Beatrix with a small nod. Kitty let out a meow and hopped up onto the bed, climbing onto the boy's chest and situating himself. Peter and Hazel had the same idea, almost seeming to sense the boy's fear. They hopped up onto the bed as well and laid on the foot of it. Beatrix blinked, then smiled softly at the sight. "Heh... Hey, your mom may not be here right now, but you're still not alone. Your best buddies are here with you too."

"Mmhm." Harry nodded. "Goodnight Miss Beatrix."

"Heh. Goodnight Harry." Beatrix said with a friendly wave, closing the door mostly but leaving the door open somewhat to let some light in. She'd be back in a few minutes to check on him. Harry yawned and nuzzled into the blanket, feeling comfy, if a little lonely from his mother's absence. Still, Miss Beatrix was nice.

He closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep, the soft sound of Kitty's purring lulling him into a peaceful slumber. When Beatrix peeked in to check on him, she was happy to see him sleeping soundly. She came in to check on him a few more times. Each time she did, she found him still sleeping peacefully. Feeling confident all was well, she gave herself a mental pat on the back.

Later that night, however, Harry had the worst nightmare he'd had yet...

Normally he'd see his family, hurting him, yelling at him, it was terrifying. But this... this was different. Creatures that seemed like they were made of shadows were swirling around him. Every time he tried to call for his mama, he couldn't speak, he felt like the shadows were holding onto his vocal chords, and were burning his entire body from the inside out. Now, they began dragging him, dragging him into the darkness, the faint greyish light growing dimmer and dimmer.

As the last of the light faded, he found himself surrounded by pitch darkness... That began to twist and morph into faces. Familiar faces...

Twisted, demonic versions of his former family, all glowering down at him with pure, unadulterated loathing. "Freak... Useless waste of air... Running away from the pain you deserve?!" Vernon growled in his face

"How DARE you... You KNOW this isn't the life you deserve!" Petunia snarled. "You're a freak! You shouldn't even exist! You think you deserve to be HAPPY?! How dare you!"

"Hey freak! That stupid mom of yours is here! We beat her up! Look!" Harry looked over...and he saw his mommy, his hero, lying flat on the floor, beaten, bloody, bruised, unmoving...

"Mommy!" Harry screamed, feeling like a whirlwind was tossing him about. The whole world seemed to be twitching and shifting, figures around him glitching into black-robed people with scary masks, and a strange bald man off in the distance. Then, he was falling.

Harry couldn't scream, he couldn't wake up, he couldn't do anything... he wasn't strong enough to do anything.

Outside the dream, little Harry was whimpering and crying, softly calling out for his mother as the nightmare grew more and more intense. Kitty, Peter and Hazel noticed, and they attempted to calm the boy down with nuzzles and purrs. Noticing that didn't work, Kitty ran for the door and began to meow as loudly as he could in an attempt to get Beatrix's attention. But it was to no avail...

However, Harry himself did end up getting his babysitter's attention when the nightmare grew so intense that he started screaming in terror.

Beatrix had been relaxing in her room, enjoying some calming music when the terrified scream managed to get to her room. "What the f-" Beatrix exclaimed, feeling frazzled until she realized who was screaming. Without a second thought, Beatrix was in the hall, then at Harry's door. Throwing it open she saw Petr and Hazel were trying to do something to wake him up.

Kitty meowed up at her, and she hurriedly rushed to the boy's side, eyes wide with panic and uncertainty. "Harry?! Harry, you gotta wake up, kid!" She grabbed his tiny shoulders and shook him gently, and like flipping a switch, the boy's eyes shot wide open. He looked around, panicking and hyperventilating.

"Mommy?! Mommy, where are you?! Please tell me you're not hurt, mommy... Please, please, please..." Beatrix gave him a gentle shake.

"Harry...It's okay. Your mom's fine. She's just on a trip, remember? She's coming back in two days."

Harry's breathing was erratic and shaky, and slowly he looked around, seemingly coming back to reality, feeling gravity once again. After a few panicked head turns, he looked up at Beatrix.

"M...Miss Beatirx?" He mumbled, not sure if he could talk to her about this.

"Hey, it's me, hon." Beatrix said softly, gently putting a hand on his leg. "You're okay, it was just a bad dream."

Harry whimpered and buried his face in his hands. Beatrix winced slightly and gently rubbed his shoulder. "It was so dark... And there were scary monsters everywhere... And mommy was all beat up, and I was falling, and...and..."

Beatrix noticed he was about to cry and her eyes widened. "Hey, little guy... Listen... If there's anything you want, then I'll do it for you. What would cheer you up?"

Harry hesitated. "Um... M-Mommy and auntie Feng always...hold me when I have a bad dream... C-Can you...?"

Beatrix blinked. "Aw, kid... I'm not..." She froze at the pleading look on his face, then sighed softly. "...Okay, come here..."

Beatrix gave a quiet sigh as Harry awkwardly sat on her lap. She gently wrapped her arms around him, but didn't know where to go from there. After a few minutes, Beatrix pulled him a little closer. This felt nice... Actually, this felt really nice!

She carefully picked him up and hugged him closer to her bosom... and she just felt...right... She was kicking herself for not holding him sooner... He cuddled up closer to her and buried his face into her chest, still trembling violently, and she took in all the little details that made him adorable... His tiny size... His light weight... His cuddly nature... And now that she looked at them, his pajamas were adorable as well. She didn't even realize how tender her expression had become. Gently, she began rubbing his back, rocking him back and forth, running her fingers through his hair... She wanted to try all of these affectionate gestures.

Harry was so... warm. There was something about holding him that just melted her heart. He was so precious, and she felt like some sort of repressed feelings of a need to have someone to love seemed to appear... She didn't know why, but she wasn't going to question these. After a few minutes, she gently set Harry back and smiled. "There. Feel better?" She cooed.

Harry sniffled and nodded his head slowly in response. Beatrix smiled softly. "I know what might cheer you up... Wait right here." She left the room, and Harry clutched the blankets tightly. Beatrix returned with a tray containing cookies and a glass of milk. She set it down on the nightstand. "Here... I know kids love this stuff, so yeah..."

"Thank you, Miss Beatrix..." She took a seat and watched him take one of the cookies. He looked at it for a moment before dunking it in the milk and eating it.

"Like it? I made them myself." Beatrix said with a wink. Harry smiled back.

"They're really yummy..." He said softly. Beatrix watched her pupil eat his snack with a fond smile, and when he was done, she grabbed the tray. "There... Better?" She asked gently. Harry nodded. "Good... Sleep tight." She got up to leave...

"M-Miss Beatrix...?" She turned to face the scared boy. "C-Can I...sleep with you tonight...?"

Beatrix bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. She wanted so desperately to say yes, but she didn't know how he'd feel about it, or Cerebella for that matter. Regardless, she felt like she needed to say yes, and truth be told, she wanted to. "Sure." She said with a small, warm smile.

She stepped forward and carefully climbed into bed next to him. She slowly, hesitantly, snaked her arms around him and hugged him tightly against her bosom. At that moment, Beatrix felt a spark flow through her. A spark that she felt somewhat guilty about... A connection with little Harry... She wished she had found him instead of Cerebella... But then, that didn't seem right... She was fairly close to the weightlifter at this point, which never would have been the case had Cerebella not found Harry... Still... The idea of being his mother... It melted her heart... Feeling a little bold, Beatrix leaned down and gently pressed her lips against Harrry's cheek, letting the kiss linger for a few seconds before pulling away.

Harry looked up in surprise, and for a few moments, Beatrix was nervous she had overstepped her boundaries, but then she saw him blush and give a small smile, trying to hide it, but the tiny boy did nuzzle a little bit closer to her nonetheless.

She felt warm... This felt right... She just hoped Cerebella didn't see this as her trying to steal her child... Tightening her hold on him, the magician made herself comfy. She gently rubbed Harry's back, trying her best to keep him comfortable and happy. He let out a soft coo of content, a clear sign she was doing well. She closed her eyes, then hummed a soft tune. She didn't know where it came from, it just came into her head. Leaning her head down, she hummed it softly directly into his ear.

It seemed to work magic, as Harry dropped off to sleep once again, gently breathing with what sounded like a high-pitch snore. Beatrix smiled and let sleep overtake her as well. Honestly... she could get used to this. He was like a cuddly teddy bear.

The two of them slept soundly side by side, the little boy wrapped up safely in the magician's arms. He had no further nightmares, and slept with a content smile. The next morning, the sun rose, and Beatrix sat up slowly. She blinked at the small weight in her arms, and was briefly confused to see Harry, before remembering. "Oh. Right. I'm babysitting..." She mumbled. Picking him up, she carried him downstairs, thankful it was their day off. She looked at the clock. "Hmm... Cerebella should be awake by now... I'll call her up... Harry'll want to hear her voice after that nightmare..."

Harry slowly began to stir in Beatrix's arms, and began squirming when he realized someone he didn't know was holding him. After a few moments, he saw it was Miss Beatrix and calmed down. "Hey little guy." She said with a smirk.

He blinked in confusion before his memory caught up with him. He smiled softly and snuggled in closer to her embrace. "Hi Miss Beatrix..."

"So, did you sleep better after I stayed with you?" The magician asked gently. The little boy nodded and rested his head against her breast. Beatrix blushed, but smiled nonetheless, and kissed the top of his head once more. "Glad to hear it, kid... Now, let's have some breakfast. Then we'll see if we can get in touch with your mom."

"Really? Yay..." Harry said in a sleepy cheer. Beatirx couldn't hold back the chuckle she was trying to when she heard that. The kid was too precious for his own good... Making her way into her kitchen, she sat Harry on one of the chairs and looked around, trying to figure out what they were going to make.

She decided on a simple meal. Pulling out some eggs and a loaf of bread, she put the bread in the toaster, then cracked the eggs into the pan. Harry waited patiently for his babysitter to finish cooking the meal, looking around the place curiously as he waited. Kitty, Peter and Hazel chose that exact moment to come into the room. Harry perked up when Kitty jumped into his lap. Peter and Hazel tried to get their owner's attention by rubbing against her legs, but she was focused on her cooking. Soon enough, Beatrix was finished preparing eggs on toast. She cut Harry's into little pieces for him, then set it down in front of him with a smile.

"Thank you." He said genuinely, looking up at Beatirx with his large emerald eyes.

"Aw, you're welcome." The magician patted his head. "Now eat up. Once we're done, I'll try and call Cerebella and see how she's doing."

"Okay!"

Cerebella woke up with a groan. She blinked when she noticed Harry wasn't cuddled up to her, then remembered he was back with Beatrix. "Ugh... C'mon, Feng, time to get up now... I wanna get this job done as soon as possible and get back to my kid." Feng sat in bed and yawned with a stretch.

"These beds are amazing... I wouldn't mind staying at this hotel again sometime..."

"Yeah, I gotta agree." Cerebella smirked cracking her neck. "But still, I'd rather have Harry over a comfortable bed, so let's get to work."

"Fine..." Feng sighed dramatically, pulling herself out of her bed and struggling to wake up. "You have any idea who this guy we're after is?"

Cerebella shrugged. "Some creep called Grunnings. Apparently one of his workers borrowed a loan from the Medicis and we need to ask him for information."

"Grunnings? Isn't that a drill company?" Feng asked. Cerebella nodded her head in affirmation.

"Right. Shouldn't be too hard to find the place... I mean, those buildings always have a giant drill plastered right on the billboard."

Feng sighed and rubbed her face, not liking being used as extortionists, but she didn't have much of a choice. Cerebella didn't understand exactly what they were doing, or she refused to acknowledge it. To most of the workers at the circus, they knew what the Medicis were, and they didn't care, or didn't have much choice. Then there was Cerebella, who seemed more than happy to do whatever Vitale ordered.

Honestly, the only one that was more oblivious than her was Hubrecht... And that wasn't by much. She loved her best friend, but it was honestly quite trying at times... The two girls left the hotel for the day, when Cerebella felt her cell phone buzzing. Blinking, she reached into her cleavage and pulled it out. She turned to look at Feng. "Beatrix is call-What's with the weird look?"

"You...keep your cell phone...in your cleavage...?"

"Well where else am I gonna keep it? This dress doesn't have any pockets."

"...What else is in there...?"

"My wallet, my house key and a picture of Harry."

"...Answer your phone..."

Smirking lightly, Cerebella answered the call. "Hey, what's up?"

"Hello, Cerebella. I trust your job is going well?"

"Oh, hey, Beatrix! Yeah, it's all good. We should be home at around... eh, ten PM tomorrow, give or take. Everything going well with Harry?"

"Yes, he's settling in quite nicely. But...he had a pretty intense nightmare last night, and you were hurt in the nightmare... He was pretty upset, and I think he needs to hear your voice to really get over it."

"What?! Of course! Put him on!" Cerebella exclaimed. There was a few moments of silence, then she heard a tiny voice.

"Hi mama."

"Hi, sweetie!" Cerebella cooed. "I heard you had a bad dream last night. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Miss Beatrix was there, and... and i think you're okay."

"Of course I am silly!" Cerebella laughed. Her expression took a more serious turn. "Now, why don't you tell mommy all about your bad dream, huh?" There was silence on the other end for a few moments.

"It... It was so scary..." Harry whimpered. Cerebella frowned sadly at how scared her son sounded.

"Aww... What happened, sweetie?" She asked gently. She sat listening patiently as Harry told her everything about his horrible nightmare.

Cerebella sighed after listing to the explanation and shook her head. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you through it, honey. But I'll be back soon alright? I promise, I'll be back home soon." She said softly, trying to console her son. The line went silent, then Harry spoke up again.

"Okay mama." Harry replied.

"So, tell me more about your time with Miss Beatrix. You having a good time with her?" She then spent several minutes listening to Harry talk about the time he'd spent with his babysitter, smiling warmly all the while. But when he got to the part where he explained how Beatrix had comforted him after his nightmare, she was taken aback. "Really...? Beatrix held you...?"

"Yes, mama. She's holding me right now, too... Just like you and auntie Feng. It's really nice... I like it." Cerebella smiled softly.

"Well you tell Beatrix I really appreciate that, okay, buddy?"

"Yes, mommy!"

"Atta boy. Well, I gotta go now. I should probably be back tomorrow night. I love you, honey."

"Love you mommy!" Harry replied before Cerebella hung up. Beatirx smiled down at the small boy and wasn't expecting what he said: "Mommy said she's thankful for you helping me." Beatrix's eyes widened in surprise. Cerebella said that about her? She was just trying to comfort a traumatized child... Still, it felt nice.

"Hey, don't worry about it." She said with a smile. "So, what do you wanna do today? Do you wanna practice some more magic? Or would you like to continue the story?"

Harry thought about it for a couple seconds. "Um... Can we read the story...?" He asked softly. Beatrix grinned and patted his head gently.

"You got it, kid..." She tightened her hold on the boy and carried him into the living room, where she grabbed the book and set him on her lap to continue the story.

Back with Cerebella and Feng, Feng was looking at her best friend with great concern. "Oh my gosh, he had a bad dream...? Is he okay?"

"I think so." Cerebella nodded. "Apparently Beatrix was comforting him, and he sounds happy."

"Beatrix? Seriously?" Feng asked in disbelief. "She... comforted him? She didn't yell at him?"

"Feng, Beatrix cares about Harry." Cerebella flatly replied, a little annoyed. "I know you don't like her, and we're not best friends or anything, but give her some slack."

Feng winced and rubbed her arm. "Right... Sorry... Jerk move, understood..." Cerebella sighed softly, then clapped a hand on Feng's shoulder.

"Honestly, Feng? I kinda like Beatrix ever since she started training Harry... She's helped him out a lot. And he's helped her too. Beatrix has even helped me a bit. Remember the day you went to visit your moms, and when you came back, I apologized to you?"

"Of course." Feng said with a small smile. "It meant a lot to me..."

"Well... If it weren't for Beatrix, I probably wouldn't have ever noticed..."

"Huh..." Feng muttered, rubbing her arm. "Is Harry okay?"

"Yeah, apparently he's doing okay." Cerebella nodded in response.

"Well, I think that's what's most important." The juggler said matter-of-factly. "Well, here we are." The pair stopped before the large Grunnings building. Feng turned to Cerebella. "Okay, so we're just gonna talk to the guy. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Cerebella nodded. The pair entered the building, and made their way to Grunnings' office. Feng knocked on the door. "Enter!" The two women did so.

Grunning was a large man, muscular and strong, with a tatoo of a drill on his arm. The man smiled before blinking and becoming nervous. "What are you Medici legbreakers doing here?!" He exclaimed in a panic.

"You took a loan from the Medici's, you didn't pay it back." Cerebella said simply. "That's why we're here."

"W...W...We don't have it!" The man exclaimed, sweating nervously. Feng and Cerebella looked to one another with a flat expression before looking back to the man.

"Yeah... That's not gonna work."

Grunning winced, then looked down. "I...I wasn't the one who made that deal in the first place... It was that fat bastard Vernon Dursley..."

Cerebella quirked her brow. "Vernon Dursley? Huh... So this guy took out a loan in your name, huh?" Grunning nodded in affirmation.

"The man's very well off... Here. This is his last paycheque. I fired him as soon as I found out... He always saved his money well... You should be able to extort the rest from him."

Feng and Cerebella looked to one another then nodded, knowing there wasn't much more they could do here, so they took the address and left, the man sighing in relief as he saw the two go. 'Karma's gonna hit you hard fatass...' He thought to himself. 'After what you did to this company, everything coming your way is well deserved...'

"Well, I guess we've gotta go to this... 'Privet Drive' now?" Feng asked, looking at the paper she was holding.

"Yeah, c'mon Feng, let's get this over so we can get home." Cerebella nodded.

The girls hailed a cab, and they took it to their destination. When they stepped out, Feng shivered. "Geez... It's like we just walked into a Midnight Zone episode..."

"Too right... Feels like we just walked into a cult." Cerebella agreed. "Gives me the creeps... Let's get this over with." The two girls searched for the fourth house on the street. Little did they know, they were about to encounter a very important figure in Harry's life pre-Cerebella... And this figure was NOT important in any positive way...

Both women had an inexplicable feeling of something seeming... off as they approached the house on the address. To Cerebella, it was as if she was remembering a troubling memory she had suppressed, and as for Feng, it was like seeing an old enemy she hadn't seen in years or even decades. "Hey, Bella?" Feng spoke up finally. "Does this place..."

"Feel weird?" Cerebella finished her friend's thought. "Yeah, it does."

"Have you ever been here?"

"No. But I'm kind of getting a deja vu vibe from it."

The girls looked around. It didn't look like it was any different from the other houses on the street... The garden looked well kept to the point of looking creepy, the house was blander than a square of white bread wrapped in cardboard, yet something about this house made Cerebella and Feng feel... angry. Sighing, Cerebella looked up at Vice-Versa, who nodded and knocked loudly and firmly on the door. The girls heard loud stomping and what sounded like cursing and screaming before someone threw the door open. "WHAT DO YOU-" The fat, blobby walrus man stopped in the middle of screaming at them and was now staring at Cerebella, who quickly realized he was checking her out.

She rolled her eyes as Vice-Versa grabbed his chin and made him look into her eyes. "Eyes up here, buddy."

"Er, right. What do you want?" The man asked.

"You took a loan from the Medici's in your ex-employers name." Cerebella stated flatly. "Issue is, you didn't cover your tracks well enough. Oh, and you didn't pay it back. So we're here to-" Before another word was spoken, the door was slammed in their faces. They blinked, then knew they had the right place.

"I think Vice-Versa's got this." Feng commented as she and Cerebella backed up .

The hat in question cracked its knucles, then threw a punch strong enough to shatter the door entirely, splintering the wood and having it clatter unceremoniously to the ground. The two women smirked before stepping into the building. The man was trying to run up the stairs, when Vice-Versa grabbed his ankles. "C'mon, tubby, don't make this difficult. Just pay up what you owe, and we'll leave quietly." Cerebella promised with a stern glare.

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" The man protested. "I left that job for better employment!"

"Uh-huh." Cerebella replied in an annoyed tone. "This doesn't have to end badly for you, but it will." Feng, meanwhile, was looking around the house for a safe or anything that would lead her to where the money was hidden. She stopped when she saw a drawing in a frame. There were four stick figures, labeled 'Mommy', 'Daddy', 'Me' and 'Freak'. Feng felt disgusted, what kind of bully would call their own family-

"Oh my God." Feng breathed.

Harry had called himself freak when Cerebella had first found him... No,.. No, it had to be a coincidence. There was no way they just happened to stumble upon her nephew's tormentor... Shaking her head, she continued her search, when something else caught her eye. It was a photo album... An open photo album... Curiousity getting the better of her, she took a look at it.

The pictures in the album all depicted a fairly traditional happy family... But there, in the background of the vast majority of them, was Harry, in varying states of misery or pain. Curled up bleeding on the ground, working tirelessly, seemingly locked outside in the middle of a storm... She flipped through the album, finding her beloved nephew in every picture, and then she got to the very back of the album...

She didn't know what was running through these people's heads when they decided to make this... But they had an entire section in their photo album dedicated to the various ways they tortured Harry!

Cerebella was still trying to get an answer out form the obese man when a photo album came flying out of nowhere and smacked him right in the face, sending pictures flying. "Feng! What was-"

"YOU BASTARD!" Feng screamed in absolute fury. Cerebella looked from the man, then to Feng, then back to the man.

"Feng, I think you're taking this job a bit too... seriously..." Cerebella began to say but trailed off when Vice-Versa held up one of the pictures of Harry, clearly having been abused. She remembered something he had said when they first met.

'I was scared... I had to get out of there...' Slowly, Cerebella turned back to the large man, fury filling her body. She didn't care about the money right now. She wanted answers.

Her expression was not the usual one of explosive anger that one would expect. Instead, it was one of cold, focused fury. She stepped forward calmly, then grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt and slammed him violently into the wall.

"...You son of a bitch... What the HELL is WRONG WITH YOU?!" She roared, gritting her teeth in pure fury. The man struggled to free himself.

"Unhand me at once, you harlot! Let me go! You know NOTHING!" The man bellowed. Cerebella pushed him harder into the wall.

"No, I don't... That's why I'm gonna ask again... What the HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?! Who do you think you are, doing stuff like that to a little boy?! Am I gonna have to beat some BASIC F*CKING MORALITY INTO THAT THICK SKULL OF YOURS?!"

"Don't preach basic morality to me! You work for the bloody Medicis! You help them destroy lives on a daily basis! And what do you care anyway?! It's none of your bloody business! You don't even know the damn freak!"

"I'M HIS MOTHER!" Cerebella shouted, and for once in his life, Vernon Dursley was left in a shocked silence. Cerebella didn't wait for him to respond, she didn't care what he had to say. She wheeled back and punched him straight in the jaw, knocking him back into a wall. The forceful impact caused a noticable crack on the wall as the walrus-like man staggered to his feet.

"The freak's mother died years ago! What are you-" Vernon began, only to be silenced by a left hook. At first, Cerebella thought Vice-Versa had hit him, but was surprised when she realized Feng had.

"Shut up!" Feng demanded. "We don't want excuses! Why'd you hurt him?!"

"Why- That's not- I don't- HOW THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU EVEN HAVE THAT DAMN FREAK?! WHY WOULD YOU EVEN CONSIDER TAKING IN THAT HIDEOUS-" Cerebella punched him in fhe gut.

"MY SON...IS NOT...HIDEOUS." She snarled furiously. "I found him living in the garbage! After he ran away from YOU! HIS FAMILY! BECAUSE YOU WERE HURTING HIM! JUST LOOK AT THESE PICTURES! IF HE HADN'T RUN AWAY, YOU WOULD HAVE KILLED HIM, YOU SICKO! WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU DO THIS?!"

"Why...? Why?! WHY?! IT'S BECAUSE I HATE THAT DAMN FREAK! I HATE HIM, I HATE HIM, I HATE HIM! I HATE HIS ENTIRE BLOODY KIND! DAMNED BRAT BELONGS IN THE BLOODY TRASH! SHOULD HAVE KEPT HIM THERE TO GET CRUSHED BY THE BLOODY GARBAGE TRUCK! THIS THING IS AN ABOMINATION, AND I BLOODY WISH I HAD KILLED HIM!" Vernon was blinded by his rage.

Feng and Cerebella were left in shocked silence, for a moment, the fire in their eyes was gone, but not long after, something else replaced it. An icy-gold feeling of death coming over them. Now they didn't remember why they had come. All they knew now was that the man in front of him had to die. Vernon seemed to realize the same thing, and frantically began to try and get away.

Vice-Versa grabbed him before he could escape, and held him up to Cerebella's face. "You're...evil... You're a f*cking MONSTER, you fat disgusting slob... I...am going...to beat you so badly, you'll be sipping your meals through a damn straw for the rest of your life!" Vernon squeaked in response. The two women looked at him with such pure, unbridled hate in their eyes that even he could not will himself to speak.

"I'll... I'll give you the money...! I'll do anything you want, just please, PLEASE let me go!" He tried to plead for mercy...but the girls weren't having it.

Anyone who happened to pass by the Dursley's house would claim they saw what looked like a petite woman and a voluptuous woman beating the living daylights out of a sentient bean bag chair. But those who knew who the Dursley's were, or some of their, 'tendencies' were far more likely to simply smirk and keep on walking. Back inside, Cerebella gave another powerful punch to the fat man's face. She didn't enjoy this like she did with some of the fights she had been in though.

She was enjoying it for much different reasons... This was not about getting money. This was not about a fun fight... This was about justice for her child. By the time the pair had ceased their assault, Vernon Dursley laid sprawled on the ground, twitching in agony from the beating he had been subjected to. Cerebella scowled and grabbed him by the collar again. "You listen to me, lardass... I love Harry. And I'm proud to have adopted him. If I ever see you anywhere near him... I'll KILL you."

Vernon was wheezing for breath, but faintly nodded, signalling he understood. At this point, Feng looked over at a bag that was filled with money. "Hey, Bella? I found the cash." She remarked. "And a lot more... we're taking it." Tossing the bag over to her friend, Vice-Versa caught it and slung it over its non-existent shoulders. As the two turned to leave, they heard an obnoxious screech.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

The two girls turned to see who had spoken, and scowled. There was the woman from several pictures of the child torture... Holding him over the hot stove was one of the least awful things she'd done to him... "Perfect timing, you good for nothing toothpick of a woman." Cerebella cracked her knuckles. "I got a bone to pick with you too... This is gonna be BAD."

Petunia stumbled back slightly. "Y-You stay back, you...you WHORE!" Cerebella's scowl deepened. "You have no right to come in here and assault us!"

"Ha. Jokes on you. I totally do." Cerebella said flatly. "You abused my son."

"What?! I've never even met you!" The thin woman streaked. Cerebella held up a picture of Harry in response, and the woman seemed baffled. "Wh...Who's that?!"

"Y'know what. Forget the explanation. You know what you did." Cerebella shook her head before looking back to Feng. "You want in on this?"

"No, I'm good, I'll be outside." She shook her head and left with the bag of money Vice-Versa handed to her.

Cerebella smirked after her before turning to her next victim with a vicious smirk. "Oh, this is gonna be a blast." She said, grinning ear to ear.

"Get away! Get away now, or I'll... I'll scream! And the neighbours will hear it! They will! And then they'll call the police, and you'll be hauled off!"

"Yeah? Well it just so happens the Medicis are in good with the police, so I'm not too worried. Now brace yourself, 'cause this is gonna hurt!"

Before Petunia could scream anything else, Cerebella punched her right in the nose, Then the eye, then the other eye, then the jaw... Really, by the time she was done, there wasn't much left that Cerebella hadn't beaten black and blue. Cerebella sighed deeply, breathing heavily. "I'll only say this once. Try anything to hurt Harry, try to go to the police... you'll regret it."

The greenette stomped on Petunia's ribcage, fracturing it. "Seriously... You're his freaking family... How could you just treat him like the dirt beneath your boots?!"

"Please just leave... Please, I'm sorry, leave me alone, I won't go near the fre-boy again, just don't hurt me, I'm begging you, I'm begging you..."

Cerebella snorted. "Now how many times has my son tried to beg you assholes for mercy? Did you ever give it to him? I doubt it. Sub human garbage..."

Kicking the horse-like woman one last time, Cerebella sighed, knowing that was enough. She turned and quietly left the house. Passing by her friend, she didn't say anything and just kept walking. "Hey... Bella?" Feng called. "Uh... you okay?" There was silence for a few moments, then Cerebella finally spoke.

"Let's just get back to the hotel."

The two women walked in silence. Their mission was complete. They could go home that night. The train ride back was at midnight. They would return by the next day. They entered their hotel room and sat down on their beds, neither one of them feeling particularly up to conversation. Feng noticed Cerebella looking through something, and her eyes widened. "You still have those pictures with you?" She asked. Cerebella said nothing, flipping through the photos she had stolen from their album. She hated looking through these horrific images of her suffering child... But she just had to know what her son went through...

After looking through all the pictures, Cerebella set them down with a blank expression. "...He's five, Feng... He's only five years old... He's just barely out of being a toddler."

Feng didn't say anything, unsure of what to say to all this. Finally, she simply said: "I know..."

"And they treated him like a slave! They beat him! They starved him!"

"I know..."

"He ran away because he was so scared of what they'd do to him! They could've killed him!"

"Bella..." Feng began, but trailed off. Eventually getting up and hugging her friend, while Cerebella slowly began to break down. "Let it out. You need to."

Cerebella looked up at her best friend with tears in her eyes. She gave Feng a small, thankful smile before burying hee face into her shoulder. "My baby..." Cerebella said in a shakey voice. "My... My little...baby boy..." And then, she lost any and all composure she had, breaking down in her friend's arms. Feng was having a very hard time keeping it together herself. While she wasn't sobbing like Cerebella, tears were still flowing freely down her face.

"Why? What did he ever do to deserve this?!" Cerebella practically whimpered.

"Some people are just cruel Bella... It's just reality." Feng quietly replied. "You saved him though, you found him, you've raised him... You've been everything they never could or would be. This won't be easy, but you'll be there to help him get over this, each step of the way. You've already started, and he's thankful." The two women remained where they were for a few minutes until finally letting go and sitting on their beds, feeling exhausted.

"Heh... Thanks, Feng... You're the best friend a girl could ask for..." Cerebella said softly. Feng gave her best friend a beaming smile and nodded.

"No problem, Bella... I'm sad too... Those pictures are just...horrific... Just thinking about..." She stopped herself, not wanting to upset her friend more. But Cerebella was having similar thoughts... She was now imagining what it must have been like from her son's perspective... How terrified and in pain he must have been... The young woman felt her heart break just imagining it...

"Honest question: what are we gonna do with the pictures?" Feng finally asked. "I, for one, think showing them to Harry would be an awful idea. Even if we wait till he's grown up, they'll only bring those fears back."

"I agree." Cerebella nodded. "But we can't pretend like we never saw them..."

"That's not what I meant." Feng replied. "We can tell him about what happened, what we saw, it'll help him overcome all this. It'll probably terrify him at first and he'll mostly likely be afraid that they'll try and find him-"

"Feng! Not helping!" Cerebella snapped, angered. Feng just remained silent and calmly continued.

"-but it will help him to know that this is behind him." She concluded. Cerebella blinked, realizing what Feng had been getting at.

"Feng, I'm sor-"

"Don't." Feng shook her head. "You were trying to protect Harry, don't apologize for that."

The two women fell into silence. Cerebella looked down at the pictures again and felt pure, unbridled hatred welling up inside her, crumbling one of them in her hand. "...We'll send an anonymous tip to the police station... The police will see the pictures, recognize those bastards, and then... then their asses will get hauled off to jail where they'll hopefully get-"

"Ugh... Don't finish that sentence please... I REALLY don't wanna think about what goes on in those prison cells..." Feng shuddered slightly.

"Right, right... sorry..." Cerebella sighed, she remained quiet for a moment, then spoke up again. "I'm gonna take a shower, after that, I'll order some food while you take one, then we can call Vitale and tell him the jobs done, then maybe we can get in touch with Harry, make sure he's doing okay."

"Cere, it's only been like three hou..." Feng began but trailed off when she realized what Cerebella was getting at. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea."

The greenette nodded and entered the washroom. Feng sighed deeply. 'Harry... I don't know what those things were thinking... But you're gonna be okay from now on...'

Back at Beatrix's house, the magician had finished reading the book to the little boy. She closed it and smiled softly at him. "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed the book, kid... What do you wanna do next?"

Harry looked up at her with shy, timid eyes, then nuzzled himself closer to his position on her lap. "Um... I wanna snuggle... Is... Is that okay...?"

Beatrix blinked in surprise. Sure, she had comforted him last night when he had a nightmare, but she assumed that was mainly due to the fact that there was no one else he could turn to, and now he wanted to be held by her just because? 'Doitdoitdoitdoitdoitdoitdoitdoitdoitdoit.' Began racing through her mind at a mile a minute. Donning a small smile, she gently pulled Harry onto her lap, her heart beating a mile a minute as he snuggled into her chest, letting out a content yawn. 'Why is he so cute~?' Beatirx thought to herself.

She felt warmth flowing through her heart as she held the little boy tightly against her bosom, gently rubbing his back. Harry closed his eyes and smiled in content. He couldn't believe this was the same woman that had scared him on his first day here... She had been so mean back then, but now...? She was a part of his family. That was what he decided. Miss Beatrix was just as much a member of his family as his mommy or his auntie Feng.

He was nervous to tell her though... He decided he would. When he was ready. He wasn't sure how Beatrix would react. Beatrix for her part, was feeling rather content, holding the warm boy in her arms. She understood why Cerebella loved this so much... he was certainly cuddly, and there was a sense of comfort he brought, almost a sense of security. She gently patted his back, enjoying this feeling.

Then the phone rang.

Blinking, she reached over and grabbed the phone. Checking the caller ID, she blinked when she saw Cerebella's number. "Huh... Your mom's calling again." Harry perked up, and Beatrix chuckled. Pushing the button, she held the phone up to her ear. "Hey, Cerebella. You're calling again quickly. Miss your boy that badly, huh?"

"Beatrix...? Put Harry on, please... I need to talk to him..." Beatrix was taken aback at the tone in Cerebella's voice. She sounded...absolutely heartbroken. As if she was about to break down in tears...

"Sure..." Beatrix said, handing the phone over to Harry.

"Hi, mommy!" Harry said happily.

"Ar...Are you okay?" Cerebella stammered.

"Mommy? What's wrong? You seem sad..." Harry said, concern clear in his voice. "Did... Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no you did... you did NOTHING wrong. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Cerebella said, barely holding back tears.

"Mommy?"Harry grew concerned at the tone in Cerebella's voice, and he began to tear up himself. "M-Mommy...?" He asked with a shakey voice.

He heard his mother take a deep breath on the other end of the line. "Harry, I...I met your... I met the ones that hurt you... The big fat guy... The scrawny lady... I know everything, Harry... I know what they did to you..."

Harry went silent and began to shake slightly, which greatly worried Beatrix, who gently pulled him back into her embrace. "Kid... Hey... It's okay..." She said softly.

"Harry... I'm coming home, okay...? I'll be back tomorrow night... It's gonna be okay... ...Harry... If you ever wanna talk about it...mommy's ready to listen, okay...?"

"mm..." Was all Harry could get out.

"I love you sweetie." Cerebella re-affirmed.

"Mmm..." Cerebella sighed deeply and hung up the phone, tears now running down her face again. Back at the circus, Beatrix didn't know what had happened, but she tightened her grip on Harry, gently running her hand through his hair, trying her best to be comforting.

"What happened, kid?" Harry whimpered softly in response, and Beatrix frowned sadly. "C'mon, little guy, it's okay... You can tell me..."

"Mommy met my...my old family..." Beatrix's eyes widened in surprise. "She knows... She knows all the...the bad stuff they did to me, and... And..." Beatrix thought she'd be far more panicked at the prospect of her charge breaking down in tears... Yet somehow, when it did happen, she managed to retain her composure.

She felt weird if she was honest. Normally the sound of a crying child would annoy her to no end. But Harry, his tears weren't that of fussiness, it was that of absolute, broken terror. She held him close like she had seen Cerebella do, and tried her best to calm him down. Sadly, she was at a loss for words. "Hey... Hey, it's okay..." She finally got out. "It'll be okay. Your mom's taken care of it..."

"Wh...What if they find me?" Harry whimpered, almost paralyzed from fear. Beatrix frowned, her eyes narrowing somewhat. She took a gamble and kissed his head.

"Harry, Cerebella would never let them near you. Neither would Feng, or Regina, or Hubrecht... or me."

Harry looked up at her with wide eyes. She was looking him straight in the face, not even noticing how tender her smile was. "You're safe here, Harry... We're...mostly all here to protect you. Talliesin's a loser." She said, trying to brighten up the mood with some humour. Harry stared at her for a couple seconds more before pressing himself against her as tightly as possible, burying his face into her chest. Beatrix tightened her hold on him, gently rubbing the back of his head and smiling softly. She felt the warmth in her heart grow even warmer... She cared for this boy. Truly and genuinely cared for him.

"You wanna take a nap? Or would you like to hear another story?" Beatrix asked, gently adjusting the boy on her lap.

"Um, another story please... if it's okay..." Harry replied shyly. Beatrix smirked. She had taken down most of his walls, but there was still a little bit more to go.

"Sure." She smiled, holding Harry in one arm, she walked back over to the shelf and looked around, finally finding one, a fantasy story called 'The Tobbit'.

She seated the boy on her lap and kissed his cheek. She wasn't sure why. It was sort of a...just because thing. He let out an adorable coo sound, so she was pretty sure he appreciated it. Cracking the book open, she began the story, closely monitoring the boy's reactions to see if he liked it. Much to her liking, he seemed to be enjoying it. Eventually, however, she heard the sound of soft snoring. She blinked, then looked down to see Harry had fallen asleep in her arms. She chuckled to herself and kissed the top of his head. ...She liked doing it, okay? Harry stirred in his sleep and cuddled in closer to her, warming the magician's heart. And then, he spoke in his sleep... "Love you...miss Beatrix..."

Beatrix gave a small gasp in surprise. To most, being told they someone loved them was almost passe, but Beatrix hadn't been told that too much. She had never heard her father say it... And here was Harry, the tiny boy she terrified and nearly kidnapped when he first arrived, peacefully snuggled into her arms, saying he loved her. This was something she never expected. "Heh... love you too, little guy."

She meant it, too... Harry had been a real eye opener for her... An absolute life changer. If it hadn't been for him, she would still be stewing in her own anger and hatred. She leaned down and pressed her lips against his forehead, smiling softly as she pulled back and looked at his sweet sleeping face. She couldn't help it... She had to give gim three more kisses. She noticed the boy was shaking slightly, and she gently removed her cape and wrapped him up in it, turning the green article into a makeshift blanket.

Carrying him into the room where he was sleeping, she saw Kitty, Hazel and Peter all look up simultaneously, either hoping for food, attention, to see how Harry was doing, or all three. Gently setting the bundle on the bed, Beatirx pulled the blanket up over him until it was at his shoulders. Harry mumbled something inaudible as she turned over in his sleep. Beatrix watched with a sad smile, having a bad feeling in her gut that tonight would be another night of bad dreams... well, she'd feed the animals, then come back and make sure he was okay.

Leaning down to give the sleeping boy another kiss on the forehead, she looked down at the pets with a small smile. "C'mon, guys... Let's go and get you fed." Leading the animals out of the room, she spared the sleeping Harry one last glance, then made her decision. She was going to sleep with him again tonight. After filling up the pets' bowls, she watched them eat with a light smirk. Sighing softly, she made her way upstairs with them in tow, having finished eating. She entered the room to find Harry crying in his sleep.

Beatrix moaned sadly and quickly made her way over to the boy, wrapping him up in her arms. "Hey, Harry? Harry? Wake up!" She said, trying to stir the tiny boy of his sleep. Suddenly the tiny boy shook awake and gasped in shock, looking around before seeing Beatrix.

"M...Miss Beatrix? Did I wake you up?" He whimpered.

Beatrix shook her head. "No... I was just feeding the animals." She explained. "Are you okay, little guy? You were crying... What were you dreaming about?"

"Th-They found me, and... And they burned everything up... The big tent... All the food stands... Our... Our houses... And... And..." He began whimpering.

"And?" Beatrix prodded gently.

"And everyone here... Auntie Feng... You... M-Mommy... Everybody... You were all... You were burning and... And..." It became apparent he was going to cry.

"Aww... let it out kiddo." Beatirx sighed, gently putting Harry against her shoulder, letting the tiny boy cry into her shoulder. Beatrix sighed, rubbing his back. She knew from experience that when someone was abused, there was a very likely chance they'd turn out cold and aggressive, or they'd be broken. She and Harry were two prime examples of that...

These people had truly shattered him... All she could do was help pick up the pieces the best she could... Gently, she rocked him back and forth. Finally, the little boy's sobbing ceased and he looked up at her with huge, teary eyes. She gently dabbed at them with a nearby tissue and kissed his cheek. "Okay... Here's what's gonna happen. You're gonna sleep with me tonight, I'll get you through the bad dreams, and your mom will be back home for you before you go to bed tomorrow."

"M'kay..." Harry mumbled, still half asleep and half terrified. Beatirx smiled and carried the tiny boy back to her room. Wordlessly, she set him under the blankets before climbing into bed. Wrapping him up in her arms, Beatrix pulled him close, letting him quickly drift off to sleep once again.

He nuzzled into her embrace, and she studied his facial reactions closely, watching as he went from scared and upset, to smiling softly as she rubbed his back. She felt the small weight of the animals walking around and over her legs and chuckled softly, watching as they settled down, curled up and went to sleep. This was...perfect. Harry was perfect... He was such a precious little thing... Holding him brought feelings of joy and love the likes of which she didn't even know existed.

Beatrix smiled and kissed Harry one last time before drifting off to sleep, peacefully holding the tiny boy in her arms who was peacefully dreaming of his family. His real family. That night, Harry didn't have any more nightmares, feeling content and safe. The next morning, Beatrix yawned as she slowly woke up, blinking a few times then remembering the tiny boy asleep in her arms.

She looked down at him and beamed with delight. He was completely at peace as he slept in her arms, innocently sucking on his tiny thumb. She sat up and hugged the boy close, gently rubbing his back and resting her cheek atop his tiny head. She smiled softly as she felt him snuggle in closer. The pair stayed like that for several more minutes before Harry stirred in his sleep and looked up at her with his big green eyes. "Morning, hun. Sleep okay?" Beatrix asked before kissing his nose.

"Mmhmm..." Harry mumbled with a tiny smile on his face as he woke up. "I didnhave bad dweams..."

'Okay. That might be the cutest thing I've ever seen or heard.' Beatrix mentally noted as she stood up and stretched, still holding Harry in her arms. "Well that's good to hear. Cerebella's probably desperate to see you, I think you're gonna be hugged a lot tonight."

"Mama's coming home?!" Harry asked, suddenly seeming much more awake and excited.

"Tonight. She should be home tonight." Beatrix reassured the tiny boy.

Harry then remembered the talk he'd had with his mother on the phone the night prior and looked down, an ashamed expression appearing on his face. Beatrix noticed, and gently cupped his chin in her fingers, tilting his tiny head up to look at her. "Hey, what's wrong? Aren't you excited to be with your mom again?"

Harry nodded his head slowly. "I am... But... It's just... Last night when I talked to her, she said she loved me, and... and I didn't say it back... I think I hurt mama's feelings..."

"Hey, she wouldn't think that." Beatrix said as reassuringly as she could. "Both of you were going through some tough stuff, she knows you love her. She would never think otherwise."

"Really?" Harry asked, looking up with his emerald eyes. Beatirx smiled, remembering that he was still a very little boy who needed to be reassured on some things.

"Definitely." Beatirx kissed his nose.

Harry let the softest of smiles come to his face and pressed his tiny head against her shoulder, nuzzling in the best he could. Beatrix chuckled softly and petted his head. "You're quite the little cuddler, aren't you? Heh... I've gotten more hugs from you in two days than I have the entire rest of my life combined." Harry just let out a content hum, loving the feeling of being held by Miss Beatrix. The young woman walked downstairs. "Okay, what say we go have breakfast?"

"Okay Miss Beatirx. Do you want me to make something for you?"

Beatrix passed and looked down at Harry in surprise before finally saying: "Did... did Cerebella..."

"No, mommy only let me help auntie Feng cook." Harry shook his tiny head.

"Oh, and then..." The magician trailed off, realizing where Harry must've learned how to cook. "Well... how about you help me?"

Harry perked up at that and nodded his tiny head up and down eagerly. "Yes please!" He said excitedly. Beatrix chuckled and carried him downstairs.

"Hmm... Since this is our last night together, how about we do something special and make some... pancakes?" Beatrix offered. Harry smiled and nodded his affirmation, getting a chuckle from his mentor. Beatrix pulled out some pancake mix, as well as a few things to mix in. Chocolate chips, blueberries, several different kinds of nuts, whatever she thought would enhance the flavour.

Beatris held Harry as he mixed the ingredients together. They decided to try a type of pancake made up of just about everything. Beatrix had to admit, there was something adorable about how focused Harry seemed on the task.

Soon enough, all that was left was for the pancakes to bake. The duo sat in a kitchen chair and watched their breakfast cook with content smiles. "Heh... You did good, kid." Beatrix said. "Even if you are covered in batter." She poked the boy's batter covered nose playfully and he giggled.

"You have some on your face too!" Harry poked at her cheek, and she chuckled.

"Well what do you know? I guess I do." She dabbed at her face with a cloth.

Beatrix used her magic to flip the pancakes, and Harry seemed to love it. This was such a weird feeling for the magician. In the past week or so, she had made amends with her rival, become friends with her, and actually found herself caring for a little boy. Maybe Harry was what this place needed all along, a sort of positive energy to bring everyone together. Well, maybe not everyone, but Beatrix didn't feel the need to mention that.

She just focused on preparing breakfast. Soon enough, their meal was done, and she set the pancakes down on a plate, serving up some for herself and her charge. The two ate their breakfast in a comfortable silence. Beatrix watched over Harry to see if he enjoyed his breakfast, and the bright-eyed smile told her that he very much did. When they finished, they washed up their dishes, then Beatrix looked down at Harry with a small smile... and found that he was reaching up to her with his tiny arms to be picked up.

It was such an adorable sight Beatrix thought her heart was melting in her chest. Bending down, she gently scooped the little boy up and held him comfortably. "How about I read you some more of the story, then we can try something new with your training?"

"Okay." Harry said, smiling up at his instructor. Beatrix chuckled and patted his head.

She carried the boy over to her favourite armchair and grabbed the previously discarded book off the sidetable, cracking it open to the last page they read.

Meanwhile, Cerebella and Feng were on the train ride home. Feng noticed Cerebella staring distantly out the window and squeezed her arm gently. Cerebella smiled weakly at her friend before focusing her attention outside again. She was not at all over the horrors those sub-human beings had inflicted on her child...

"Hey." Feng said in a soft tone, that made her sound much older than she actually was. "If you need to talk about it-"

"No." Cerebella cut her friend off. "No, I'm fine." Feng paused, then sighed, nodding and not pushing.

"Well, we'll be home soon, and you'll have Harry in your arms again."

Cerebella smiled softly at that fact. 'I'm coming home, Harry... Mommy's coming back for you...' She clenched a fist tightly. 'And no one will EVER hurt you like that again...'

The two girls sat in silence and stared forward. Then, Feng spoke. "If it makes you feel any better... I feel the same way..." Cerebella turned to look at her friend. "I love him too, Cerebella... Probably nowhere near as much as you... But I still love Harry with all my heart... Seeing those pictures was just... I... I totally get you... Okay? I know I'm not his mom, but I am a part of his family..."

Cerebella sighed deeply and nodded. "Thanks Feng... I just..."

"I get it." Feng reaffirmed. "You were upset, it was natural." The two women fell back into silence. Cerebella looked back out the window, hoping her son was okay, and that she'd be able to help him get through it all.

She remembered the day she first found him in that alleyway and smiled fondly. He was so delicate and frail back then... Just a tiny little bonerack... She was so glad to have found him. To be given the opportunity to be his mother... She couldn't wait to get home and hug her child close...

Later that night, Harry and Beatrix were going to go over their new training method. "Okay, Harry... Do you remember when I taught you how to read memories?" She asked gently. Harry nodded, although hesitantly. He remembered when Miss Beatrix had looked into some of his memories and seen a bit of what he had been through. It was scary...

"Uh huh..." He timidly replied.

"Okay, we're gonna try that again, but I'll show you how to control it." Beatirx calmly began. "First, you need to focus on a happy memory. Then, open up your mind."

Harry nodded, then closed his eyes as hard as he could and focused. Beatrix gently pressed her forehead against his and closed her eyes as well... Harry tried to focus on the happy memories... He really did... But this particular spell made him very nervous, and that, combined with what his mother had told him on the phone yesterday, made it all but impossible. He couldn't think about the happy memories... And as a result, he wound up causing Beatrix to see firsthand all of the horrors Cerebella had seen in the pictures.

Beatirx was frozen in horror as she saw the abuse. the beatings, the torment, the verbal abuse, him being left out in the cold while the others were inside. How he was forced to do manual labour no one his age should even think about doing...

If she was able to, she would've snapped him out of it much sooner. But the magician, for what might be the very first time, was frozen stiff in fear. Thankfully, (although 'thankful' may not be the right term) Harry couldn't take it any more and opened his eyes, severing the connection. He saw Miss Beatrix, frozen in shock, eyes wide and mouth agape, and did the only thing he thought was logical.

He ran.

Beatrix snapped out of it and gaspec, rushing after him as fast as her legs would carry her. "H-Harry, wait! Come back! Please!" She called after him. Harry ran into a closet and closed the door, hiding himself away and curling up in a tight ball. Beatrix stopped outside the closet and bit her lip. "...Harry... Harry, I'm... I'm so sorry... I had no idea... I... We can forget all about that spell if you want... Please... Just come out, and we can sit down and talk about this, okay...?" There was a pregnant moment of silence... And then, the door slowly pushed open and the little boy stepped out, looking down at the floor and looking like he was about to cry. Beatrix took a kneeling position and hugged him tightly, holding him close to her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Harry..."

"You... You saw it... And... And mommy and auntie Feng know all about it... I didn't want anyone to know..." The little boy whimpered. Beatrix tightened her hug. Her own father was horrible, but his punishments mostly involved yelling and slapping... She'd never been outright tortured like Harry had...

"Harry... Listen to me... You have nothing to be ashamed of. Absolutely nothing... What happened to you is not your fault..."

"But it is! I'm a freak!" Harry exclaimed in response, his broken tone heartbreaking to hear. Beatrix tightened her hold as she made her way back to her room. Sitting on her bed, she began rocking him in her arms.

"Don't think that... Don't ever think that..." She cooed softly. "You're not a freak, you're very talented, and very special. You have your mommy and Aunt Feng, and me. None of us think you're a freak. They were so wrong to think that. They were so wrong to even begin to think that..." Unfortunately, her words weren't as effective as she had hoped as Harry continued crying into her chest. Beatrix figured this was the best case scenario for him, and that all she could do was let him cry it all out.

She gently rocked him back and forth in her arms, listening to his sobs, feeling his tiny, frail body tremble violently, and her heart began to hurt immensely. "Shhhh... It's okay, Harry... You're gonna be okay... I'm right here, and very soon, your mom will be too..." She whispered softly into his ear. When his sobbing finally ceased, Beatrix carried him back downstairs and sat in her rocking chair, hugging him tightly. "Okay... Why don't we sit down and just wait for your mom to come back, huh?" She saw a tiny nod of affirmation and chuckled. "Hey...Harry... I love you... You know that, right?"

I love you too Auntie Beatirx..." Harry mumbled, nuzzling in close to Beatrix's embrace. The magician's eyes widened in shock when she heard what Harry said. She looked down and wanted to ask if she heard him properly, but decided to just keep him warm and safe.

"Aunt Beatirx, huh?" She whispered. "You are SO adorable."

She heard the sound of the little boy's soft snoring and looked down to see he had fallen asleep in her embrace. The magician smiled softly, then carefully removed her cape and used it to bundle up the little boy in her arms, gazing tenderly down at the tiny sleeping child.

The train ride had finally ended, and Cerebella and Feng were finally back at the Cirques de Cartes. The two women were on their way to different destinations, Feng to cook and Cerebella to pick up her son. The two exchanged smiles. "Go get that beautiful little baby." Feng said before entering their house. Chuckling, Cerebella made her way to Beatrix's house. When she arrived, she decided to peek into the window, hoping for a glance of her son. What she ended up seeing, however? Well... It made the butterflies come back tenfold.

Beatrix was peacefully sitting on her bed, gently cooing and rocking her sleeping boy in her arms. Beatirx seemed more calm and relaxed than anyone had ever seen. She was cradling her son like a newborn infant, making sure he was comfortable. Her black hair seemed to shine from the faint light a lantern was giving off. It was a truly magical sight. Slowly, Cerebella made her way to the door and slowly knocked on it, feeling nervous for reasons she couldn't explain.

Beatrix heard the knock, then smiled down at the sleeping child in her arms before rising to her feet. She leaned down and planted a kiss on Harry's forehead. "Time to go home, hun..." She said softly.

Cerebella had noticed the kiss, and the feeling in her stomach grew stronger. She put a hand over her chest to try and calm herself down, but to no avail. She was just... so amazing with her son... He looked so at peace in her arms, and she was looking at him with true love and adoration, and she looked so beautiful in the candlelight...

It was then that she came to understand what these feelings were...

...Love.

But... Beatrix?

Cerebella was desperately trying to put something together to explain it, but... she did feel like she was falling in love with her. Not like the love she had with Feng, but this was more... passion. She appreciated all the magician had done, and she was so cute with Harry...

She was jolted out of her thoughts when the door was opened, and the woman she was thinking about was standing before her. Her smile was not of malice, cockiness, or even amusement... But of serenity. Cerebella opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out other than "Uh... Uh... Uh..." Beatrix quirked her brow, then her smile turned to one of amusement.

"Careful there, Cerebella. You're gonna catch flies if you stand with your mouth hanging open like that." Cerebella clamped her mouth shut and gulped slightly.

"Oh, uh..." Cerebella muttered. "Hey, um... Was Harry any trouble?" Beatirx smiled as she looked down at the tiny sleeping boy in her arms. She kissed him gently on the forehead before she replied.

"He's a little angel, Cerebella. He couldn't be trouble if he tried."

"I mean... he sounded..." Beatrix frowned when she picked up on what the weightlifter was talking about.

"He's had some really bad nightmares... like, it's truly terrifying." Beatrix sighed.

Cerebella bit her lip as she looked at her son. "You're... You're really good with him, Beatrix... I... Um... Thank you for watching him..." She reached out her arms slowly to take her son. Beatrix smiled and carefully handed the tiny sleeping child over to his mother. Cerebella smiled lovingly down at her son, then jostled him very gently to wake him up. Harry let out a soft whine at the sudden awakening, then looked up sleepily, eyes widening when he saw the smiling face of his adoptive mother.

"Mama!" He said with as much energy as a half-asleep boy could.

"Hi precious." Cerebella cooed, giving him a long kiss on the forehead. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too mommy."

"Aw, that's so sweet." Beatrix smiled at their interactions. Cerebella blushed.

She looked at the woman, who was giving her a rather teasing grin, and realized it was intended to make her feel bashful and embarrassed. "Uh... Heh..." Cerebella chuckled. "Well... I'm just gonna take my kid home now... See ya later, Beatrix..."

"Bye, auntie Beatrix. Thank you for everything." Harry said gratefully.

"Auntie Beatrix, huh?" Cerebella smiled as she rubbed Harry's back, enjoying the feeling of her son curling up into her arms and cooing adorably. "You two seem to have gotten along well."

"She's really nice." Harry said. "She read me stories and held me when I got scared... she was like you mama!"

Cerebella looked surprised at that, then looked at Beatrix, who smirked lightly. "So, Cerebella... Would you say I've proven my worth as a mother?"

Cerebella's face turned slightly red. "Uh... Yeah, totally, B... You'd make a totally awesome mom to my-YOUR kid. Heh... Little...slip of the tongue there..."

Cerebella laughed slightly, then the silence returned between the two. Thankfully, said silence was broken by Harry yawning and snuggling back into Cerebella's arms. "Heh." She smiled. "I think it's time I put him to bed."

"Yeah..." Beatrix nodded, questioning if she should ask her about the phone call.

Cerebella smiled at Beatrix. "So uh... He have dinner already?" Beatrix nodded her head. "Good... Good..." She rubbed her son's back gently.

Beatrix hesitated before speaking. "Cerebella... I was trying to work on the memory spell with Harry, and... Well... Cerebella, I know exactly what they did to him... I saw... everything..."

Cerebella looked at her with wide eyes, then began to tear up. "Yeah? Well... Me and Feng know all about it too..." She said softly, tightening her hug on her boy.

"Listen, I don't know if you want to talk about it now or some other time... but..." Beatirx trailed off awkwardly.

"I think I should put my baby to bed, we'll talk about it some other time." Cerebella replied, kissing Harry's head, noticing Harry had tensed up.

He relaxed at the kiss, nuzzled into her chest, and went to sleep in her arms. Cerebella smiled, then heard a soft meow. "Heh, of course, Kitty. I could never forget you." She cooed as her pet hopped onto her shoulder and mewled cutely. She she smiled softly before turning to walk away.

Beatrix watched after her with a small smile before going back inside. Cerebella stepped into her and Feng's home, where her roommate was preparing their dinner for the evening. Feng looked over and smiled sadly before approaching. "Mommy and auntie are home now, baby... No more scary dreams and no more pain..." She cooed softly before kissing Harry's forehead gently. The sleeping boy cooed and Feng giggled. "Go put that poor baby to bed now, Cerebella."

Cerebella carried her son to her room, gently tucking her son into bed. She smiled and stroked his hair. She sighed contently.

She leaned down and kissed his head, giving him a loving smile as he slept soundly. Then, she sighed and fell deep into thought about her feelings... Of all the people in the world to fall in love with... why did it have to be her sworn rival who absolutely hated her until very recently? She began to ponder why the thought of Beatrix brought intense desires to the forefront...

But... she couldn't explain it. She had heard that love, just like life... found a way. And now that she thought about it, was Beatrix really that bad? She was certainly pretty, and good with Harry... In fact, she really seemed to care for him.

In fact... The more she thought about it... The more things started to click for her... She deduced the reasons why she was falling for the magician, and it made sense... However... She wanted a second opinion on the matter... And she knew just the girl for the job. Leaning down, she kissed Harry's forehead. "I'll be back, hun..." She said softly. Then, she went downstairs where Feng was cooking.

"Oh, hi, Cerebella! You're just in time! I'm almost finished-"

"Hey, Feng?" Cerebella cut her off. "Uh... I... I kinda...think I...fell in love with somebody..." Feng blinked, then grinned slyly.

"Oooh, do tell." She said, intrigued. "Who is it? Is it that guy you talked to on the train? Or was it that super cute girl who took our order at that restaurant? Ooh! Is it-"

"It's Beatrix..."

Feng opened her mouth to reply, then froze. After a few moments, she closed it. Then got a drink of water, and splashed herself with it. Shaking her head, she took a sharp breath before turning back to her roommate. "Come again?"

"I... i think I'm in love with Beatrix." Cerebella repeated herself. "She just... I... I don't know how to explain it. But we've gotten to know each other, and it feels like there's really something there."

Feng stared at her friend in disbelief before taking a seat. "Wow. Wow... This is not a dream... You and Beatrix... That's... Just surreal..." Feng turned to look at her friend. "Do you know why?"

Cerebella took a deep breath. "Well... I always did think she was kinda hot..."

"Well, that's like saying that water's wet. But her attitude was always a major turn off, right?"

"Well... Yeah, before Harry came along... But he softened her up, and... well... I saw some new sides to her... Feng, she's got a really sharp wit, and she's got drive and determination, and she's a damn good fighter... She's actually pretty fun to hang around, and... And oh my god, Feng... I saw her interacting with Harry when I went to pick him up... She was... She was amazing with him..."

"Really? How so?" Feng questioned with a raised brow.

"She was holding him like a newborn infant. Talking calmly and sweetly to him. I could hear him cooing in his sleep. She seemed so relaxed and focused on him that nothing else mattered. She was acting like I do when I take care of Harry, it... it was so sweet."

"Huh." Feng said, thinking it over. "Does she know, or think the same thing?"

Cerebella looked down. "I doubt it... She just recently stopped hating the ground I walk on... Her liking me kinda seems like a pipe dream..."

Feng looked thoughtful. "Hmm... Beatrix is gonna be a tricky one to win over, that's for sure... Stubborn as a mule, bit of an ego, probably has pretty high standards... Buuut, I do have some good news for you."

"Yeah? What would that be?" Cerebella asked.

"Well, I happen to know for a fact that she's into girls."

"Really?" Cerebella asked surprised, her eyes widening somewhat.

"Yeah, haven't you seen how she looks at Regina?" Feng replied, and Cerebella seemed surprised by that.

"Wait. What?" She relied in surprise.

"Yeah, every sp often you can see her looking at Regina. At first I thought it was out of respect or looking for instructions... but there was something about HOW she did it, it couldn't just be respect..."

Cerebella looked down at the ground. "But Feng... I don't look anything like Regina... In fact, I pretty much just look like those 'bimbos' she's always complaining about..."

"You are NOT a bimbo, Cerebella. You're just a little bit on the naive side." Feng said gently, patting her friend's shoulder. "Here's what you should do... Try to be subtle. Drop a few hints every now and then. Be a good friend, help her when she needs it, try to get close to her without being too obvious. Learn as much as you can about her. Find out what she likes, what she doesn't like, everything you can, and use it. Give her the occasional present, be there for her when she's down, then wait until the right moment, and just tell her your feelings. Let her know you love her and you want to be with her."

"Okay, and what if she isn't into me?" Cerebella asked. Feng thought it over then shrugged.

"Use Harry as leverage."

"Feng! That's horrible!" Cerebella retorted with a laugh. "She'd only say yes to be with Harry!"

"But that's a way to get closer to her." Feng reasoned.

"Okay, but seriously." Cerebella laughed. "I'm not totally sure what to do. We train in different things, and it isn't always easy for us to spend time together. At this point, I don't think she'd say yes if I asked her out on a date either."

Feng shrugged. "Days off are a thing. And so are lunch breaks. Try and stay close to her, that's a good way to get...well, close to her."

"Feng... What if she doesn't want me around? What if she tells me to go away? What if I wreck what we have now and-" Feng clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Cerebella... You hung out with her all day long like, two weeks ago. You enjoyed being around her, and clearly she liked being around you if she willingly stuck around."

"Yeah, But-"

"Look. Just stop." Feng groaned, rubbing her face. "Love isn't always easy, Bella. Sometimes things take time, you need to calm down and just... feel, so to say. What I mean is you can't immediately assume you're in love with her after a few warm moments, but if you keep trying to bond with her, or even just get to know her, then that should help you figure out what's happening."

Cerebella bit her lip, then sighed. "I'll try, Feng..." She heard a soft mewl, and she looked down to see Kitty curling up on her lap. "Heh... Beatrix treat you nice too, Kitty?"

"Mew?" Kitty looked up at her curiously and received a scratch behind his ears in response. Cerebella smiled softly as she stroked her pet.

"Things will make sense eventually, Cerebella... And remember, if things don't work out with Beatrix, there's plenty of other fish in the sea." Cerebella chuckled.

"Fish in the sea, huh? You saying that because you're still smitten with that dagonian waitress at that restaurant we went to in Little Innsmouth that one time?"

Feng blushed. "Ugh... Why do you always tease me about her? Not my fault she's my dream girl... But hey... You're lucky. Your love isn't like, two towns away."

"And probably seeing someone." Cerebella added, only to be hit by a banana. "Ow. I deserved that. But totally worth it."

"Shut up..." Feng grumbled. "Food's ready." The two sat down and ate their meal in relative silence, Cerebella found herself thinking of Beatrix, and of the pictures they had seen. It was horrific... But she didn't know how to approach Harry on the subject without terrifying him into mute shock.

She shook her head and focused on her dinner. She'd cross that bridge when she came to it... Harry could talk to her about it when he was good and ready... After eating, the girls rose to their feet. "...Hey, Feng? We should go check on Harry now... He's probably having a nightmare right now, and he needs to be with his family..."

Feng bit her lip, then nodded her head. "Right... Let's go... I wanted to visit the little cutie for a little bit anyway." She agreed, following Cerebella upstairs.

The two made their way upstairs and looked sadly at the open door. Harry was lying up in bed, rubbing his eyes, clearly having just woken from a bad dream. "Harry? Sweetie?" Cerebella calmly said as she and Feng entered the room. "Are you okay?"

"I...I just had a bad dream, mama..." He mumbled, looking down at his sheets. Cerebella cooed and sat on one side of the bed, and Feng sat at the foot of it.

"Well, don't worry, hun, you're safe now." Cerebella cooed, pulling Harry into a hug.

Harry snuggled into her embrace, smiling softly as he clutched at her dress. He then noticed Feng approaching, and he perked right up."Auntie Feng!" He said happily, reaching up with his little arms for his aunt, who giggled and gently took him from Cerebella, holding him close and stroking his back.

"Hi, cutie pie." Feng giggled. "I missed seeing your cute widdle face! It's great to be back with you." Harry giggled and leaned into her hug. Feng lifted him up and tucked his head under her chin. "Don't worry, baby. You won't have any more bad dreams while we're here!" Harry went quiet for a moment, then looked down, nervous about something.

Both women caught on, knowing what was on his mind. Cerebella moved closer and gently patted Harry's back. "It's okay, Harry... We'll talk about it when you want to talk about it." Harry looked at her with a small, grateful smile, and she kissed his forehead. Feng did the same immediately afterward, and Cerebella rose to her feet. "Why don't we make this an impromptu sleepover night? I'll go throw a snack together and we'll all spend the night in my room together and watch a movie or two."

"Okay mama." Harry smiled. Feng chuckled and held Harry close.

"Sounds fun!" She remarked. Cerebella smiled as she left the room. Her son enjoyed being with them, that much was clear. And it was also clear he was beyond thrilled to have them back home.

Cerebella left the room, leaving Harry and Feng alone. Feng gave her nephew a sad smile and a kiss on the temple. "You poor baby..." She cooed softly.

"A-Auntie Feng...?" Harry asked softly. "Did...Did you find out about-" Feng gently put a finger over his mouth, then nodded slowly with a sad expression.

"Yes, honey, but remember what your mommy said. You don't have to talk about it until you're ready." She said softly. "Until then, we're gonna work on keeping you safe and happy."

"Thank you..." Harry mumbled, somewhat burying his face in her chest. "It's scary..."

"Oh... poor thing." Feng cooed softly, sitting with her back on the headboard and resting Harry's head against her breast. "Don't worry cutie, me and your mama are gonna make sure no one ever hurts you again... When you're ready, you can talk to us about it. Until then, don't worry." Harry slowly looked up at Feng, then smiled, his face expressed genuinely thankfulness for her understanding and compassion.

Feng gave him a bright smile, then a kiss on both cheeks, followed by his forehead, then pressed her own forehead against his gently and looked into his eyes. "You're just too precious... How could anyobe hurt such a sweet little face...?" She said softly. Harry looked up at her, then snuggled in closer.

"I love you, Auntie Feng..."

"I love you too, cutie pie." Feng smiled, kissing his head.

"Hey! Don't hog my son completely. " Cerebella said, coming back into the room and sitting next to her friend. "It may have only been a few days, but it feels like it's been FOREVER since I got to hold my widdle guy!" Feng laughed but also knew if she handed him over, she wouldn't get a chance to hold him for a good long while, so she decided not to.

Cerebella narrowed her eyes, then smirked and grabbed the white bird off of Feng's head. "Hey! Archibald!" Feng protested as the bird scarcely reacted.

"You hog my Harry, I hog your little bird friend. That seems like a pretty fair trade off." Cerebella scratched the bird under the chin and it stared blankly at her.

"If it's affection you're looking for, you're not gonna find it from them. They barely react to anything. Now pass me a bag of chips, would ya?"

"Hm. No, I'm busy with Arc-" Cerebella began but trailed off when she saw that the bird didn't seem to care about what was going on. It barely even seemed to acknowledge Cerebella. The green-haired woman huffed in annoyance and handed Feng a bag of chips.

"Geez, no wonder I keep forgetting these two exist. They don't do anything other than sit on your head all day." Feng shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, they're kinda tied to my emotions. They just sorta... make facial reactions based on how I feel." Cerebella looked at her, then carefully set the bird back.

"Feng, can I PLEASE have Harry?" She asked sincerely. "I-I wanna hug my baby..." Feng's expression softened, and she relented, carefully handing Harry over to his mother.

"Mommy..." Harry said happily, leaning into his mother's chest as she wrapped him up tightly in her arms. Nuzzling the top of his head, Cerebella sighed in relief, now holding her tiny baby boy again, nothing could take them apart. She was so happy right now...

"Mommy's here, Harry..." She whispered softly into his ear, kissing his forehead. "Mommy loves you..." Smiling, Feng set up the TV and put in the movie. The trio laid tucked into the bed, lying beneath the blankets and happily enjoying the movie, Cerebella and Feng feeding Harry from their respective bags of chips. When the movie ended, Cerebella looked down at her son to find that he was fast asleep, cuddled up close to her chest, using her breasts as makeshift pillows.

"Daw... So cute." Cerebella smiled, wrapping her arms around her son. "Well, I don't think I'm going anywhere."

"Me neither." Feng smiled, leaning back and smiling at the sleeping form of Harry. His tiny snores could be heard as Cerebella patted his back comfortingly. Cerebella felt like she couldn't possibly be happier, she had her son back, she may be in love... This was perfection.

Feng smiled softly as well. "Guess we'd better turn in, huh?" She curled up beneath the blankets and closed her eyes softly, "G'night, Cerebella..."

"Night, Feng." Cerebella said, tightening her hold on her son and making herself comfy. She leaned forward to kiss his temple. "Love you, Harry." She whispered in his ear, smiling as he snuggled in closer. Content, the weightlifter closed her eyes and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, Beatrix was thinking over a few things, mainly what she had seen happen to Harry... She had been trying to make sense of it, and she thought she'd come to a logical conclusion...

Blood wards. While an effective way to ward off outside treats, they ran off of the emotions of those inside them. If negative feelings existed, the wards would enhance them rapidly over time... And it was very clear that Harry's family hated him. As a result, the wards increased their hatred to horrifying, dangerous levels, and it reached the point where they just wanted to make the boy suffer as much as possible, consequences a mere afterthought.

"What the fu..." she sighed, pressing her nails into her face and accidentally cutting herself when they moved downwards in anger. "Who would POSSIBLY be stupid enough to do that?!"

Beatirx had studied dark magic before, and to an extent, she had even studied blood magic and demonic magic. She absolutely, positively REFUSED to use the latter two due to the extremely dangerous and outright monstrous effects they always had. She had heard more than enough stories about the one magician who thought they could understand it, or control it or-

It never mattered, they died. Every time.

Beatirx had been lucky to skim the surface but had enough mental fortitude to pull back and sever the connections before they could take hold. She refused to let herself become a monster. But it was clear someone wasn't smart enough to do the same thing.

She wouldn't have minded so terribly much that some idiot got too big for their britches if they had been the ones to suffer for their own shortsightedness...

But they got off scot-free. Harry was the one to pay the price for it. Little tiny Harry, who just wanted to live like a normal child. Little, tiny Harry, who did everything he could for acceptance snd validation.

...Little tiny Harry... Who just wanted to be loved like a child his age should, and instead was forced to drink chemicals, take beatings with nail filled bats, nearly get drowned in scalding hot water... Oh God... How was he alive...? He came so damn close to being killed multiple times... At the very least, he should have been crippled...

She clenched her fists, and several of her knives were hurled into a nearby board, fuelled by fury. How could anyone, ANYONE treat such a sweet little thing like that?!

She had known terrible people. Her father, her employers, even herself to an extent... but they seemed like angels compared to the people who put Harry where he was that lead to what he had gone though.

She didn't care if it was malice or just plain gross negligence on this individual's part... They would pay dearly if she ever got her hands on them.

She sighed softly and took Peter and Hazel into her lap, stroking their fur gently and smiling as they nestled into her. She hoped Harry would be okay... No... She prayed he would be okay... All she could do now... was try to help him recover...


	10. Chapter 10

The next day, things were back to normal, Beatrix and Harry were still practicing his magic, and there was a noticable improvement. Harry seemed to have a firm grasp on telekinesis, and was able to hold three objects in the air at once. Granted, he couldn't for long periods of time, but it was certainly something. He also had accidentally changed the colours of the apples, and Beatrix was trying to figure out what spell that was...

Currently, the staff was taking their lunch break. Ordinarily, Beatrix would send Harry off to eat with his mother, but today, Cerebella had different plans. Beatrix was surprised to see the greenette step forward with her lunchbox, smiling brightly before taking a seat near her and Harry. "Hey, guys! Why don't we eat our lunches together?"

Beatrix quirked a brow before shrugging her shoulders. "All right, sure, no problem." She replied.

The four sat eating their lunch. Harry was looking back and forth from his Aunts to his mother, clearly happy to be with all of them. "The little guy keeps getting better each day." Beatrix remarked, playing with Harry's hair. "His magic is strong, and his control is getting better."

"Well, he does have a good teacher." Cerebella remarked, Beatrix paused, then looked to the weightlifter questioningly.

"Uh... thanks?"

Cerebella chuckled. "Why the surprised look? It's not the first time I've complimented your teaching skills." She said with a beaming smile.

"Yeah, but there's usually some air of joking around you when you say it." Beatrix said with a shrug. "You're being a lot more genuine lately."

"Ah, c'mon, don't think too hard on it!" Cerebella exclaimed merrily, wrapping an arm around her crush in a friendly manner. "We're friends now, right?"

"R..Right..." Beatirx stammered out in response, her eyes darting back and forth. Feng was trying her best not to laugh at the magician's reaction. Harry smiled up at them, but didn't understand what was happening between them. 'This... this is kinda nice...' Beatirx thought. 'Wait. Is she-!?' Thankfully, her thoughts weren't voiced, as Cerebella smiled over to her son, who was now sitting in front of the two women.

Cerebella grabbed Harry and set him on her lap. "Hey, buddy... You doing all right?" She asked her child with a warm smile. Harry nodded his head.

"I learned a new spell!" Harry said happily, cuddling up to his adopted mother. Cerebella chuckled and held him tightly, wrapping her arms around him.

"I saw. It was a really cool one too."

"But I keep making things change colours..." he frowned, seemingly disappointed in himself. Beatrix chuckled and patted his head.

"Don't worry, little guy, we'll figure it out eventually." She said with a smile.

"Wait, YOU don't know what's causing it?" Cerebella asked, surprised. "I thought your whole thing was knowing magic!"

Beatrix shrugged her shoulders. "Nobody's perfect, Cerebella. Even in the areas we're strong in, there's only so much you can know, and it's not very likely you'll learn everything."

Cerebella nodded her head with a smile. "Well, you're smart, so I'll take your word for it." Beatrix quirked a brow, crossed her arms and gave Cerebella a smirk.

"My, you're certainly piling on the compliments lately." She observed. "Please keep it up, I never get tired of hearing how great I am." She teased.

"Well, you're really smart!" Harry spoke up, making the women look down at him. "And... you were kinda scary at first, but... you're also really nice!" The women blinked in surprise, then laughed, finding his sincerity adorable.

Cerebella looked over at Beatrix with a smile. "Hey, B... I really had fun hanging out with you that one time. I'd like to do it more often, if you're interested..."

Beatrix blinked. "So you're inviting me over to your place for a visit...?" She asked. Cerebella nodded her head, doing her best to stay cool.

"Yeah, totally. I uh... I just wanna hang out and have some fun... You looked like you might...enjoy the company, y'know?"

"Heh, sure." Beatrix smiled. "If I get to spend more time with Harry, I think I can put up with you for a little bit." Cerebella opened her mouth to respond, then her whole body seemed to deflate.

"You just HAD too, didn't you?" She sulked.

"Yes, and I don't regret it." Beatrix smirked in response.

Cerebella sulked slightly and Beatrix laughed, nudging her with her elbow. "I'm just kidding, Cerebella, of course I had fun last time. Have a sense of humour."

"Oh... Uh... Right. A joke. Gotcha. Uh... Hahahaha!" She laughed... at least, she thought she did, even if it was rather forced. Beatrix rolled her eyes.

"Don't hurt yourself." She teased lightly.

"Yeah, yeah..." Cerebella rolled her eyes, picking her son up and holding him close. Harry giggled as Cerebella rocked him back and forth in her arms. Harry smiled as his mother held him, smiling contently the entire time. Beatrix and Feng smiled at their interactions. No matter how many times they saw it, there was always something adorable about Cerebella and Harry's interactions.

It was clear that while Harry would accept a hug from pretty much anyone, the hugs he got from his mother would always be his favourite. When it came time to return to work, Cerebella returned Harry to Beatrix and rose to her feet, stretching her arms and grunting slightly. "Ah... Back to it now... Train hard, Harry!" She gave her son a toothy grin and a wink.

"He always does." Beatrix said, beaming with pride. "He puts everything he has into everything I teach him. He's a perfect little pupil." She patted Harry's head.

Harry blushed, liking being told he was doing good. It was a new experience to him, and he greatly enjoyed it, and it made him want to do better. The pair returned to their training, Cerebella smiling warmly at the two. "I've never seen Beatrix so... friendly." Feng commented.

"I know... and she's so sweet with Harry..." Cerebella smiled.

Feng smirked knowingly and nudged the weightlifter with her elbow, causing her to blush slightly. "Yeah, I invited her over... So that's uh... step one, right?"

"Yeah, it's a start." Feng shrugged. "Just keep spending time with her, and just maybe you two will find a connection that'll bring you together."

"Thanks Feng." Cerebella smiled, her face slightly red. "I'm just... I'm just not used to this still..."

"I can tell." Feng smirked, and Cerebella's face turned to an annoyed glare.

"What's gotten into you recently? You were always so nice before!"

"And Beatrix was always so mean before. Perhaps a cosmic imbalance has occurred..." Feng said mysteriously, waving her hands about. Cerebella was silent for a moment, then began laughing.

"You're such a goofball." She chuckled, lightly nudging her friend with her shoulder. Feng just grinned and focused on her practicing. Then a stray spell from Harry set her head on fire.

She was remarkably calm about the situation, looking up at her flaming head with a bland facial expression. "...Huh. Been a while since this stuff happened to me." Then another stray spell engulfed her head in a snowball.

"I'm sorry!" Harry called out as Cerebella drew a happy face on the snowball covering her best friend's head.

"It's fine, sweetie." Cerebella called, smirking at her friend, who was trying to get the snow off of her head, trying to say something, but the snow kept her from doing so.

"H...How did I do that?" Harry timidly asked, looking up at Beatrix, afraid he had done something wrong.

Beatrix held a hand up to her mouth and snickered softly. "I dunno, but it was hilarious." She replied. "Well, either way, you clearly have ice and fire magic down. Or the basics at least."

"Oh... Yay!" Harry cheered. The pair trained for another hour before the day's practice came to an end. Cerebella came over to collect her son.

"All right, you guys, let's head on back now!" She looked at Beatrix. "Wanna come over for dinner?"

Beatrix blinked in surprise, and was going to say 'No', but then she saw Harry look up at her hopefully. "Okay." The magician awkwardly replied, a smile on her face nonetheless.

"Yay!" Harry cheered happily, earning a laugh from the magician. The tiny boy's energy was so adorable...

"Cool!" Cerebella said with a fist pump, which Harry mimicked, much to both women's amusement. "All right, c'mon, everyone, let's get back now!" Cerebella, Harry, Feng and Beatrix made their way back to the two roommates' living quarters, chatting merrily all the while. Well, at least the former three were. Beatrix, despite everything, still felt a bit out of place amongst the group.

When they returned, Feng left to get food ready and found herself sitting with Cerebella and Harry. Beatrix bit her lip, unsure of how to start a conversation. Thankfully, Cerebella saved her. "So, how did Harry make the snow?" She asked.

Beatrix blinked, then chuckled. "Well, I figured we'd get into some bigger spells since he was doing so well, and fire and ice magic were amongst them."

"Wow, seriously?! That's awesome!" Cerebella gushed. "What other spells like that are there?!" Beatrix smirked and looked up thoughtfully.

"Lightning... Gravity... Healing... Honestly? SO many."

"How many of those do you know?" Cerebella asked curiously, and Beatrix's thoughtful face fell with a bit of a sweat drop.

"Well... not as many as i'd like people to believe. My magic is more focused on shadows and transportation along with illusions. I'm surprised how much power Harry has. Usually someone is highly skilled in one type, he seems to have a strong core in each one."

Cerebella grinned and hugged her son tightly. "Heh! I always knew you were my special guy, but this is really something else!" She said enthusiastically.

"Y-You really think so...?" Harry asked softly, to which his mother beamed and nodded her head in affirmation.

"I don't think so! I KNOW so! Just think about all the cool stuff you'll do when you're a grown up like your old lady!" She said with a grin.

"You really think I'll be able to do cool stuff when I'm older?!" Harry asked in surprise, as if this was a new concept to him.

"Well yeah! You have magical powers I can't even begin to comprehend! That's a special gift you have, and it makes you unique!"

"It doesn't make me a freak?" Harry asked, somewhat cautiously, but also somewhat hopefully.

Beatrix put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry... We've been over this. You're not a freak. You'll never be a freak. You're perfectly normal."

"I...I..." Harry sniffled slightly. "Thank you..." Cerebella tightened her hold on her child and kissed his head.

"Just try to remember that your power is cool, Harry... You're an amazing, gifted boy. Never forget that."

"Thank you, mama." Harry said happily, leaning into his mother's hug. Cerebella laughed and pulled him closer, cooing over his happy expression. Beatrix smiled at the two. It really seemed like they always had been a mother and son.

"Heh, he's too cute for his own good." Beatrix smirked, tickling Harry's chin, earning a laugh from the boy.

"I know. Trust me, I know..." Cerebella smiled, resting her cheek on his head.

She looked over at Beatrix, who was smiling sincerely at them, then back at Harry, who was cuddled happily into her bust. She smiled at the magician. "Hey, B... You wanna hold him for a bit?" She asked, taking the magician by surprise. She was hesitating, but the expression on her face just screamed 'yes'. Chuckling, Cerebella passed her son over to Beatrix, who took him with a warm smile. And the second Beatrix had Harry in her arms, Cerebella knew that this was the woman she wanted to be her son's second mother.

Harry looked up at Beatrix, then smiled, not feeling the same apprehension he once had around her. The magician smiled back and pulled him a bit closer. Harry decided to try something again and tried to hug Beatrix. Despite his best efforts, he was still too small, and only got his arms partially around her waist. "Aww..." Beatrix smiled. "You're a real hugger, aren't you?"

Harry cooed in response, and Beatrix chuckled softly, playing with the boy's hair. Cerebella watched the scene with a warm smile, adoring just how good her crush was with her child. Eventually, the two women heard the sound of soft snoring, and Beatrix looked down to see Harry was fast asleep, his head rested on her breasts. The magician put a hand to her mouth and laughed softly. "My, my... It's so much cuter when a sweet little boy does it than when Talliesin attempts to do it."

"Ugh... I can't stand that guy..." Cerebella groaned. "Where did Vitale even find that guy?" Beatirx shrugged with a slight frown.

"No idea... I don't know why he even wanted to join here, I mean, I guess he's got talents with puppetry, but that's about it."

"Then again, why did Vitale hire any of us?" Beatirx replied with a slight questioning tone. "The way I see it, it's better to just take the good with the bad and ignore the rest of it."

The two girls smiled, and Beatrix turned her attention back to the sleeping boy. Carefully, she pulled off her cape and used it to wrap him up tightly and snugly. "Aww... He looks like a snuggly little cocoon..." Cerebella cooed. Beatrix chuckled in response, gently caressing the boy's cheek and smiling fondly.

"He seems to like it too." She cooed softly before leaning down and kissing his cheeks and forehead.

"It's nice really, when I first found him, he was terrified of being held." Cerebella sadly remarked. "I remember the first time I kissed him he seemed so... confused by the concept... it was both so adorable, but also so heartbreaking..." Beatrix smiled sadly down at Harry, who had shut his eyes and seemed to be just enjoying the embrace of his teachers' warmth.

"Poor little guy..." Beatirx sighed. "Why do the good ones always have to suffer?"

Cerebella shook her head. "There's a lot of awful people in this world... People that'll step all over the good ones... People that just...deserve the worst life has to offer, but for some backwards reason, get the best..." Beatrix looked at her with a small frown, feeling that entire speech was very ironic considering her worship towards such a man... Still, best not bring it up...

"Yeah... Well... He's broken down, so now, all we can really do is help build him back up."

Harry now stirred again, having drifted off for a few minutes in Beatrix's arms. The magician smiled and handed Harry back to Cerebella.

"Sorry mommy... I didn't mean to sleep..." Harry mumbled, rubbing his eyes. Cerebella laughed and rested his tiny head against her shoulder.

"Don't worry sweetie, apparently magic can be tiring." She smiled.

Harry smiled back, then nuzzled in slowly to her embrace. Cerebella kissed his head, then grabbed the remote. "Well, might as well see what's on TV." She clicked through the channels, eventually settling on some live action show about two stepbrothers named Drew and Jerry.

Feng leaned out and smiled, looking at the two women who seemed much more comfortable with one another's company, and Harry just seemed happy to be held by the two women. Feng chuckled, things had gotten so... weird over the past few months. Cerebella became a mom, fell in love, made friends with Beatrix... who would've guessed?

She stepped into the room, setting down a plate of peanut butter celery sticks, taking one and handing it to her little nephew. "There. Try that." She cooed. Harry bit into the stick of celery, and his eyes lit up. The peanut butter made the celery taste really good...

He continued eating his snack happily. The tiny crunching sounds made both women smile. There was just the aura of sweetness in almost everything Harry did. Cerebella was running her fingers through her son's hair. It always seemed to soothe him, and she enjoyed it too.

Eventually, Feng left to prepare dinner, and Beatrix let out a soft yawn. "Ugh... I did not get enough sleep last night..." She mumbled. Cerebella chuckled.

"Heh... Yeah, I might have stayed up a bit late myself... Played with Harry and lost track of time... Heh..." Cerebella chuckled. Beatrix smirked lightly.

"I think Harry shares the sentiment." She pointed to the sleeping boy, and Cerebella smiled and kissed his head. Beatrix moved closer and gently ran her fingers through his hair before yawning softly. "Ugh... Mind if I just... close my eyes for a few...minutes...?" She mumbled before drifting off to sleep. Cerebella blinked, then laughed in amusement.

"Geez, B... Taking a nap in someone else's house? That's pretty..." She stopped when the sleeping Beatrix leaned over and rested her head on her shoulder.

Cerebella now blushed deeply and smiled widely. She looked down and saw Harry and snuggle up to her, deep into his nap. Cerebella sighed happily, and decided a few minutes couldn't hurt. So, she leaned her head slightly against Beatrix's and let her eyes slowly close.

Feng stepped into the room to check up on them, and put a hand over her mouth, giggling softly at the adorable sight before her, snapping a quick picture with her phone. They looked like a happy family, cuddled up to each other, cozy, safe and happy as could be. It was absolutely sweet. Silently, Feng tiptoed out of the room. An hour later, Beatrix awoke, groaning softly before remembering where she was. Then she realized her position: cuddled up against Cerebella with her head on her shoulder.

Her eyes darted back and forth nervously, before letting a smile form on her face. Cerebella seemed to be trying to tell her something, and she thought she knew what it was. Looking down, she saw Harry sleeping on Cerebella's lap, and very slowly picked up the tiny boy. She decided she wanted to hold him for a few minutes and rested the sleeping boy against her chest. Harry didn't seem to notice and snuggled up to what he thought was his mother.

"Mama..." The sleeping boy mumbled softly. Beatrix smirked and chuckled softly before kissing his head. She looked at Cerebella with a playful smirk.

"Careful, Cerebella. I just might steal your son at this rate." She joked softly. However, she didn't really feel like getting up just yet... So she decided to humour Cerebella for a bit longer. Smirking, she leaned her head against the tan skinned woman's shoulder again, noticing the content smile on her face and chuckling softly as she felt Cerebella's cheek rest atop her head.

Harry was now snuggled between the two women, seeming content as one could possibly be in a position most men would kill to be in. Both women subconsciously placed a hand on Harry's lap, accidentally grasping one another's. The two smiled in their sleep and squeezed each other's hands softly.

"Food's ready in five!" Feng called, jolting both women out of their intimate position and ruining the kind scene happening in the other room. Before either woman could speak, Harry's stomach growled.

"Heh. Looks like it's dinner time for you sweetie." Cerebella cooed.

Beatrix blinked, then rose to her feet, having been the only one to notice the accidental hand holding. She played it off like it was nothing. "Right. Let's go."

The trio joined Feng in the dining room and were greeted by a meal of plate tacos. "Heh... Nothing fancy, I know, but I kinda forgot to go shopping..."

"No complaints here, Feng. Food is food, after all." Beatrix said with a small shrug before taking a forkful of the meal. "Mmm... You prepared the beef perfectly..."

"Thanks Beatrix." Feng smiled. Beatrix nodded before casting a glance over to where Cerebella was spoon-feeing Harry, who seemed to be happily enjoying the meal. She had to admit it, she loved him. He was so cute, so sweet... She felt like she wanted to take care of him like a mother would. Cerebella placed another forkful of food into her son's mouth, grinning as she saw his expression light up at the food.

"I think he likes it Feng." She remarked.

Feng smirked pridefully. "Well of course. I am the best chef in the circus after all." Beatrix barked out a loud laugh, and Feng looked annoyed. "Something funny?"

"Oh, it's just the fact that you're delusional enough to think you're a better cook than me, that's all." Beatrix replied with a smirk, looking over her nails.

"Y'know, you have a really bad habit of starting things you can't finish." Feng remarked. Beatrix blinked, then laughed in surprise.

"Please, PLEASE tell me you're joking." The magician laughed. "Every time we've fought, you've lost. Horrifically."

Feng huffed and crossed her arms. "Fine then. If you're sooo great, why don't you and I have a little competition?" Beatrix smirked, intrigued.

"Oh? A competition, you say?" She rested her chin on her hands with the same type of smile a hungry alligator would give to its prey. "Do tell."

"We're both gonna cook a dessert. We're gonna get Harry and Cerebella to decide which one is better. And the winner gets to pelt the loser with pies."

"Sure." Beatrix smirked. "If you're really that willing to let yourself be humiliated in front of Harry like that."

"Let's go." Feng said in a flat tone, ignoring the food in front of her. Beatrix chuckled and followed behind the black-and-white haired woman. Harry and Cerebella looked to one another, then Cerebella laughed, pulling Harry onto her lap.

"Um... They didn't finish their supper." Harry said softly. Cerebella smiled and shrugged her shoulders before tightening her hold on her son.

"Well, they're off to do a bit of baking. So it looks like we're getting dessert tonight, huh?" She said to Harry with a broad grin. Harry perked up at that. Soon enough, Feng and Beatrix laid their food items before the two judges. A cart filled with pies for the loser sat near the voting table.

Cerebella carried Harry over to where a tray of brownies was sitting. Next to it was an odd-looking desert that seemed to be a mixture of an ice cream cake and donuts. Harry's eyes seemed to widen at the two desserts, and hunger he thought was subsided returned in full force. Cerebella felt the same way as she looked the two dishes over. "Wow..." Was all she finally said. "Okay Harry, which one do you want to try first?"

"Um... Whichever you think, mama." Harry replied softly, looking over the desserts with interest. Cerebella chuckled, then took a couple brownies.

"Mmm... That's really dang good, Feng." The acrobat smiled. "Think there's peanuts in here... Nice touch... Okay, now let's try Beatrix's dessert..."

Cutting a couple slices of the cake, Cerebella placed one slice on Harry's plate and another on her own. "Gotta be honest, Beatrix's fancy dessert is looking like a winner here, Feng." The magician smirked as Cerebella took a spoonful of the cake. "Mmm... Really good."

"Prepare yourself, Feng." Beatrix grabbed a pie.

"Buuuut I think ya used just a bit too much sugar. It's kinda...overwhelmingly sweet? I think Feng's brownies edge out because it's easier to just pick one up and eat it."

"Um... I think mommy's right... Sorry auntie Beatrix..."

Beatrix wanted to reply, maybe even argue, but she felt more angered than anything when she saw Feng's triumphant smirk. Now Beatrix was going to say something, but was silenced when Feng smashed a pie into her face and began laughing uncontrollably. Wiping the dessert off of her face, Beatirx opened her mouth to speak again. "Hol-"

Only to have another pie thrown at her this time by Cerebella. "You knew the rules, Merlin!" Cerebella laughed.

Beatrix sulked, crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance as she glared forward in a grumpy manner. "Tch... Whatever. Not my fault your taste buds are broken..." She grumbled. The magician took her punishment surprisingly calmly, standing rock still as the other two women threw the pies at her, making no effort to fight back. By the time it was done, Beatrix was completely and totally covered in pie tins and their contents, now looking more like a big blob of cream than a woman.

"Hey, Beatrix? You still alive in there?" Cerebella asked with a laugh. After a few moments, a hand appeared from under the mess, giving a thumbs up. Harry giggled at the sight, and Feng and Cerebella laughed as well. They all had to admit, it looked ridiculous. It took Beatrix about fifteen minutes to finally get out of the cream and pie remains to a point when she could finally wipe enough from her face to speak.

"Ugh... Damn it... Did you have to pick banana cream?" Beatrix grumbled. "I don't even like banana..." Cerebella offered her a towel, which she took. "Yeah, thanks..." The two girls watched the magician towel herself off with huge grins, Feng's being clearly larger. Beatrix finished cleaning off and took a seat on the couch.

"I finally got payback for you knocking me into the elephant poop!" Feng cheered, feeling VERY satisfied right at that moment.

"And now you've given me reason to get even." Beatrix replied, somewhat hoping it would shatter Feng's moment of victory, but alas, it didn't.

"Yeah? Now I know what you hate." The juggler shot back evenly. "Who knows, maybe during a show you'll find yourself being set upon by an armada of pies."

"I swear if you do that..." Beatirx threatened, but trailed off, not wanting to scare Harry.

"I'll be sure to always have a pie on hand in case you get too big for your leotard." Feng teased. Beatrix huffed in response and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You guys don't know what you're talking about anyway. Here, I'll prove it." She grabbed her dessert from off the table. "Too sweet... My butt..." She took a forkful, put it in her mouth, realized they were right, then put it back down without speaking a single word.

"Well, it's not like yours is..." Beatrix began, taking a bite of Feng's brownie, then paused as she realized how good they tasted. She looked down at the tray, then back up to Feng. "How come you don't make these more often?"

"I make them somewhat regularly, you're just not around when I do." Feng shrugged.

"That's fair."

The group heard a soft yawn and looked over to see Harry snuggle into his mother's tummy. Cerebella giggled and held him up against her shoulder. "Looks like it's someone's bedtime." She said gently, rubbing his back. "Okay, Harry, say good night to everyone."

"G'night, auntie Feng... G'night auntie Beatrix..."

"Night. kid." Beatirx managed to smile.

"Good night, honey." Feng cooed. Cerebella nodded her thanks and carried her son over to her room. She gently pulled the blankets back and tucked him under them, pulling them back over him. She smoothed them out and smiled as Harry seemed to be drifting off to sleep in front of her, his tiny eyes closing as he snuggled into the warmth of the blankets.

"Good night, sweetie." She cooed, kissing him on the head, earning a happy coo from the boy.

"Night, mommy... I love you..." Harry mumbled sleepily before drifting off. No matter how many times Harry said those three simple words, her heart melted every time. Beaming, she made her way back downstairs where Feng and Beatrix were cleaning up the mess they'd made from the cooking contest.

"I just... how?!" She hear Beatirx talking, exasperated. "How do you make those brownies so sweet? It's flavour was better than most, but it also felt like there wasn't a mass increase in sugar."

"It's an old family recipe." Feng shrugged. "Honestly, I was taught to make them like that as a kid, I've always made them like that."

"Seriously. You need to show me how to make them like that." Beatirx insisted.

Feng huffed. "Uh-uh! That's my special recipe! No one's using it but me!" Beatrix looked annoyed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'll pay you."

"No."

"I'll do all your chores for a month."

"Nope."

"A year."

"Uh-uh."

"Feng taught me." Cerebella said with a smirk. And the two women's heads snapped over to Cerebella.

"Bella, don't you DARE!" Feng ordered.

"What do you want for it?" Beatirx asked.

Cerebella tensed up at that. 'Oh my gosh she's asking what I want for it this could be my big chance okay I just have to ask her out... Just ask...her...out...'

"HERE IT IS!" She passed her copy of the recipe to a smirking Beatrix, and Feng pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.

'You're a god damn coward.' Cerebella scolded herself.

Feng sulked and threw a pillow at Cerebella. Beatrix smiled at Feng. "Hey, don't worry, your secret's safe with me. And I promise I'll give you credit where it's due." This seemed to pacify Feng, and she returned to cleaning the mess. Cerebella chipped in too, and soon enough, the mess was clean, and the trio were seated in front of the TV.

As they kept flipping through the channels, no one could really find something that seemed worth watching. If anything, they were having more fun jumping through the channels and trying to piece together the movies that they kept landing on. Finally, they landed on a movie that made the three of them pause in utter disbelief.

"Wait... I think I know this movie." Beatrix finally said.

"That's a shark. With octopus tentacles." Feng said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, I think this is called 'Octoshark'." Beatirx replied.

"Isn't this movie banned in Little Innsmouth? I'm pretty sure the Dagonians took personal offense to it and tried to file a collective lawsuit." Cerebella said.

Beatrix snorted. "That's an urban legend. Well, the lawsuit part is, at least. Everything else is true." She explained. "Either way, guess we could hate watch this thing."

The three girls finished the movie, riffing and laughing all the while. Feng stretched as she rose to her feet. "Ugh... I need to go to bed..." She mumbled. "Night..."

"Yeah, I should probably get going." Beatrix agreed. "It's been fun...aside from the pies." Cerebella blushed slightly at the memory of Beatrix covered in cream.

"R-Right... Yeah, it was fun... Um... Wanna come say bye to Harry before ya go?"

"Sure." Beatrix smiled, and the two made their way to her room. The genuinely happy and calm atmosphere was shattered when they heard the sounds of Harry whimpering, clearly in the grasp of a nightmare.

Both women exchanged a sad glance. It had reached the point now where neither one of them was surprised to see it. Just deeply saddened. Cerebella reacted first, stepping forward and pulling her son into her arms, hugging him against her shoulder and jostling him gently to awaken him. Harry shot open with a gasp, looking around wildly before realizing his surroundings. "M-Mama...? Auntie Beatrix...?" He said softly.

"Hey sweetie, did you have a bad dream?" Cerebella asked soothingly, sitting next to her son and gently taking his tiny hands. Harry looked down then nodded. "Aww, do you wanna talk about it?"

"Um... it... it was dark. And... and there was a scary monster... it just laughed. And it was freaky. I couldn't move, and then I couldn't breathe..." Harry timidly spoke, still shaking somewhat. Beatrix sat on the other side of him and gently rubbed his head.

"Sounds scary... But it was just a dream little guy." She spoke soothingly, and Harry looked up at her.

"I know... It just felt real." He admitted.

Cerebella tightened her hold on him and kissed his temple, gently rocking him back and forth. Beatrix looked thoughtful. "Kid... I think it's time you started taking control over your dreams."

Harry blinked in confusion, tilting his head to the side. "T-Take control...? Of my dreams...?" He asked softly. Beatrix grinned and nodded her head.

"Your head? Your rules. Even if it feels like you don't have any control over your dreams, the fact is, you do. You just have to focus and really try."

"But... what if I can't?" Harry whimpered, his terrified tone heartbreaking to the two women.

"Well..." Beatrix began, trying to think of the right way to word all of this. "You have to believe in yourself. If you're afraid, you need to overcome it."

"How?" Harry asked, his tone one of someone who desperately wanted an answer to a question that had plagued him his entire life.

"Think on good things, sweetie." Cerebella cooed, kissing his head.

Harry cooed slightly at the kiss and rested his little head over his mother's breast, thinking hard about how to deal with the nightmare. How was he going to take control...? Beatrix looked at the boy and gently cupped his chin, tilting his head up to look at her. "Harry... You can do it. I know you can." She said gently.

"Y-You really mean it...?" Harry asked softly.

"Mmhmm." The magician nodded, with a smile. Harry breathed a few times and looked up at Beatrix and nodded. Cerebella cooed gently as she laid him back down in bed, pulling the blankets back up and gently rubbing his cheek.

"Do you want me to stay, honey?" She asked calmly.

"Um... I think I'll be okay mama." Harry replied, clearly nervous but also willing to try what Miss Beatrix told him.

"All right, sweetie. I'll be back up soon, okay?" Cerebella kissed her son's cheek. "I'm just gonna go and talk to Auntie Beatrix, okay?" Harry nodded and nuzzled back into the blankets. Smiling, the two women left the room and made their way back downstairs. Cerebella turned to Beatrix with a warm smile. "Thanks, B... I think you really helped him."

"It's no problem. I don't like seeing the poor thing in distress like that." Beatirx shrugged. "When you and Feng were gone for a few days, he asked me to stay with him due to the nightmares. Poor little guy's tough, but he's still got a ways to go."

"Yeah... I hate that..." Cerebella sighed, shaking her head. "Someone did that to him. His own family!"

"I saw." Beatirx nodded. "Have you talked to him about it?"

Cerebella shook her head. "No... As much as I want to, I think this is something he needs to do when he's ready. I don't wanna force it on him."

Beatrix hummed in acknowledgement. "The little guy's scared... That much is clear... It's gonna be a while before he's completely over what happened..."

Cerebella sighed. "Yeah... Well, at least he had a normal nightmare this time..." She joked lightly. "Monsters are what kids are supposed to have bad dreams about."

"Heh, yeah. It still amazes me how good you are with him." Beatrix smiled. "I mean, sure. You're one of the friendliest people here, but I always figured you'd befriend kids, then they'd leave and you'd keep the cycle going like that." She paused for a moment and added: "That sounded better in my head."

"Hey, I get what you're saying." Cerebella replied with a smile.

She looked down at the floor. "To be honest with ya... If I'd met Harry under different circumstances, I probably would have done that... Like, I probably wouldn't have gone out to an orphanage and adopted a kid..."

"Right." Beatrix nodded, showing she understood. Cerebella sighed and put a finger underneath her chin.

"But Harry... Living in the garbage... I just had to take him. I had to. He just had this whole air of...'please help me, please love me, please protect me'. Y'know?"

"No offence, but that kinda seems to be his air pretty much all the time." Beatirx joked. "And that's not exactly a bad thing, the kid's warming up to everyone, but that almost... energy I guess, he has is still there. It just makes you want to protect him." Cerebella cast a glance into her room, seeing her son sleeping peacefully.

"Yeah, I guess it does." She smiled.

The two women smiled at Harry, then Beatrix nodded. "All right, I should be off now, Cerebella. See you tomorrow." She said, to which Cerebella nodded.

"Right. Catch ya later, Beatrix." She replied with a wave. Beatrix walked off, and Cerebella caught herself staring at her backside as she left.

Cerebella bit her lip and forced herself to turn away, trying to hide her embarrassment. She quickly turned and headed back to her room, sitting next to Harry, pulling the sleeping boy close with a content smile on her face.

She gazed down at her sleeping child lovingly, moving a stray lock of hair out of his eyes, before kissing the little boy's forehead. How she loved him... Harry subconsciously nuzzled into his mother's tummy with a small coo, and Cerebella beamed down at him before climbing in next to him under the covers. "Mark my words, Harry... One day, Beatrix will be mine... Then you'll have two mommies..." She said softly, knowing he wasn't awake to hear her.

The next morning, things went as usual. Beatirx and Harry trained, but the magician noticed Cerebella seemed to be looking at her. Not like she used to, or how she had when she began training Harry. There was something different in her eyes.

The expression in her eyes was... confusing. It seemed to be a mix between...dopey and longing. Beatrix wasn't entirely sure what to make of it... It was fairly obvious that Cerebella seemed to have developed a small crush on her... But that look... It didn't seem to be one of a simple crush, Shaking her head, she decided to focus her attention on the up and coming star, Harry. "...All right, Harry... Now let's try the mind reading spell..." Harry tilted his head and let out a nervous groan. "Don't worry. It's different from the memory spell."

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"Essentially, we'd be able to hear what the other person was thinking. We won't see memories, but we'll be able to hear what's happening currently in their mind."

"Oh. Okay." Harry said looking up at Beatrix. "How?"

"Well, first you need to focus..." The magician began.

Harry closed his eyes and focused as hard as he could. "Good. Now just look at the person who's mind you wanna read and get to it." Harry nodded, then looked at Cerebella.

"Mommy's thinking about when you got hit with all those pies... Um... I don't think she's laughing about it though..."

Beatrix paused, a bit confused by what Harry had said. Then her eyes slowly widened as she realized what Harry may be implying. She silently broke into Cerebella's mind, but the weightlifter seemed to notice and quickly shifted throughs. Beatrix was left bewildered as to what had just happened, but did catch part of a word.

"Lo-"

She lost the connection after that and blinked several times. Confused, she focused on Cerebella again. 'God she's so good with Harry, she'd be an amazing-oh no, she's looking right at me, okay, just act natural and get the pie image out of your head...Oh god why did it take me until after the fact to notice how ho-'

And the connection broke.

'Ah...' Beatrix realized, her face slowly changing to a smirk 'Well, I'd be lying if I didn't think she was kind of cute when she was flustered... Wait. How long have I felt that!?'

"Miss Beatrix?" Harry asked. "What are you thinking about?" Beatrix snapped back to reality as she realized Harry may have tapped into her memories.

She shook her head, "Um... On second thought, let's... not do that one anymore... HUGE invasion of privacy... Pretty rude when you really get down to it..." Harry tilted his head in slight confusion, but nodded regardless, deciding it best not to argue. The two practiced magic for a couple more hours before the day ended.

Cerebella was happy as she scooped up her son and held him close, giggling as he tried his best to hug his mama. He ended up wrapping his tiny arms around her neck and resting his head against her shoulder. It was the best he could do, and it was adorable. Cerebella kissed him on top of his head and looked to Beatirx. "Hey, Beatrix... Uh, were you in my head?" She asked.

Beatrix blinked, then scratched the back of her head. "Uh... Heheheh... Guess you figured it out, huh...? Uh... Yeah... I was teaching Harry a new spell..."

"Ah... Well, uh... No offense or anything, B, but I'd feel a lot better if you uh...didn't teach my son how to invade other peoples' privacy...?"

Beatrix blinked, then chuckled. "Yes, understood, Cerebella. I won't teach him that spell anymore." She agreed. "I honestly had the same thought when I...y'know..."

"...How much did you hear...?"

"Something about the pie incident." Beatrix said flatly.

Cerebella's eyes seemed to shrink as they darted back and forth. "It wasn't that funny." Beatrix flatly added.

"Heh, yes it was." Cerebella chuckled, seeming to lose the tensity in her body.

'Hm, maybe there's more to her than I thought...' Beatrix thought.

Cerebella patted Harry's back gently, then gave Beatrix a grin. "Well, thanks again, Beatrix. See ya around!" Beatrix tilted her head to the side as Cerebella walked off with Feng. 'Hmm... I wonder...' She mused to herself, putting a finger under her chin thoughtfully. 'Hmm... There's probably more to this than some simple crush...' Beatrix's expression turned rather annoyed. 'So help me God, if I find out she's just wanting to get me in bed...' She shook her head. 'Perhaps...a gift. Just to test her reaction.'

Cerebella and Feng were back at their place, Feng was holding Harry close in one arm as he assisted her with dinner. The two were making fish, and Harry was carefully turning the fillets over, Feng making sure he didn't get burned. Cerebella was taking a shower, feeling refreshed after another day of training. When she finished and was drying off she heard a knock on the door.

Blinking, she looked downstairs. "Cerebella, can you get it?!" Feng called. "I can't leave the food, it's a very delicate process!"

Cerebella chuckled and put her dress and thigh-highs on. Making her way downstairs, the greenette pulled the door open. And she found...nobody. "Uh... Hello?" She called out, confused. No answer."Ugh... Did we get ding dong ditched? What a pain in the-" Then she looked down.

Sitting on her steps was a small bundle of flowers, Cerebella blinked in surprise and confusion as she slowly picked them up. There was a small tag with a single letter on it. 'B'. Cerebella's breath hitched as her eyes widened in delight. Suppressing a squeal, she began jumping up and down on the spot in joy. Beatrix watched from a distance in surprise. She wasn't expecting that...

There was clearly no trace of lust in Cerebella's eyes. She looked more like a teenage girl that just got an autograph from a famous pop singer. She crossed her arms over her bust and raised a brow as she watched the other woman celebrate her simple gift. Honestly, in a way... it was actually kind of adorable. Beatrix shook her head. She didn't know why she had that thought. Sure, Cerebella had a pretty face, and beautiful eyes, and a nice butt and a great rack- "Uuuugh... Stupid, sexy Cerebella..." Beatrix muttered quietly to herself.

Inside, Feng cast a glance over to the door with a raised brow, not knowing what Cerebella could be so happy about now. However, she had a feeling it had to do with her crush, so she decided to ask later and focus on dinner with Harry. She smiled and kissed the tiny boy's head, making him giggle.

Cerebella took a seat in the living room and grinned dopily down at the bouquet of flowers. Flowers... From Beatrix... Wait... Was it really Beatrix though...? Cerebella had many, MANY secret admirers. That was the curse of being the very attractive star of the circus. So for all she knew, this was someone else entirely. Her mood dampened slightly at that, as she looked down at the flowers and sighed softly.

Still, it was nice. If they weren't from Beatrix... it was still a kind gesture from whoever did it. Maybe Harry had? No... it would've been more obvious. The little dear couldn't keep a secret like that if he tried. "Food's ready in five!" Feng called, snapping Cerebella back to reality.

"All right, coming!" Cerebella called out, rising to her feet and entering the dining room to join her family for their evening meal, smiling all the while.

Beatrix, meanwhile, was sitting in her armchair, absentmindedly stroking Peter's fur as the rabbit snuggled into her lap. She was deep in thought. Just how deep did Cerebella's affections run?

"Did she... Wait. Was she actually in love with me?" Beatrix blinked, thinking it over. "Why? I've been nothing but aggressive to her, until recently... Does this have to do with Harry?" Beatrix blushed after a moment, thinking about what that implied. Did Cerebella think she was some sort of second mother to Harry? Actually... that didn't sound too bad. She liked being 'Auntie Beatirx', but decided to wait and see. She had a feeling she and Cerebella may be doing an odd sort of courting dance in the future. But she had to ask herself. Did she feel the same way?

Well, she knew she was into the fairer sex... And Cerebella was certainly unfairly attractive... But honestly? At this point, it was hard to say for sure. She shook her head. She needed more time to try and scope it out. The last thing she wanted to do was rush gung-ho into a relationship. For all she knew, this was just a shallow acknowledgement of Cerebella's more impressive assetts.

"...Ugh... I need a drink..." She sighed. She smiled down at Peter, who was still sitting in her lap, enjoying the attention he was getting, while Hazel was eating some rabbit chow.

Beatrix chuckled softly. "Heh... Life's complicated, Peter. Must be nice to be a domesticated rabbit. All you have to worry about is mealtime." She joked. Peter looked up at her, and she lightly booped his nose, causing him to tilt his head. Beatrix laughed quietly. She really did love her bunnies...

Meanwhile, Cerebella was showing off the bouquet of flowers that had been left for her.

"So... who left them?" Feng asked with a raised brow.

"I have no idea." Cerebella replied with a dumb grin on her face. "But I think it was Beatrix."

"You think? Or you know?" Feng pressed.

"Well... There was a tag with a 'B' on it, so that has to be her right?"

"Maybe, but what if if was... Hubrecht?" Feng smirked, and Cerebella pouted, annoyed.

"Hubrecht's name starts with H, Feng." Cerebella said flatly. Feng snickered and put her hand to her mouth, giving her best friend a rather smug grin.

"Hey, we all love Hubrecht. He's a huge sweetie, and it's adorable. But he is SO bad at spelling. I'm pretty sure he might think his name starts with B."

"Aw, Feng, that isn't nice." Cerebella chided.

"Heh, well, why don't you tell me you're insane conspiracy theory about how it has to be Beatrix while we eat? The food's ready." Cerebella blinked in confusion, then remembered Feng and Harry had been making dinner.

"Right, right..." She mumbled sheepishly, sitting next to her son and gently taking his hand, giving it a friendly squeeze.

Harry gave his mother a smile before turning to his meal and digging in. The trio ate in silence, as Cerebella tried to figure out what to do about the situation. After dinner, Feng took her aside. "Hey, Cerebella... Maybe you should try asking Beatrix out on a little...outing. As friends. See if there's anything there between you two. I can watch Harry." She looked at her friend with a beaming smile. "I can tell Harry really loves Beatrix... Having her as his second mom would make him so happy..."

"They're so cute together!" Cerebella squealed, thinking back to when she got home to find Harry snuggled in Beatrix's arms.

Feng chuckled softly. "Well, tomorrow's our day off, so hey... Go ahead and aak her right now if she wants to hang out. Go to that new bowling alley or something."

Cerebella hesitated slightly. "So... Not like a date...?" She asked softly. Feng shook her head.

"No, just...two friends hanging out for now."

"Okay... yeah... I'll do that!" Cerebella nodded, trying to collect some confidence, but it was clear she was (for some reason) terrified. "I can... I can go do that..."

"Have fun." Feng smirked. "I'll be playing with Harry while you talk to your crush."

"Feng!" Cerebella whined. "Don't call her that!"

Feng just snickered. "Go on, get outta here and see Beatrix." She winked at Cerebella. "You know I'm rooting for you. You two would be good for each other."

Cerebella tilted her head, then smiled softly. "Thanks, Feng... I'm gonna go talk to her right now." Feng watched after her friend with a small smile.

Beatrix was just finished filling Peter and Hazel's bowls when she heard a knock at the door. She blinked, then approached the door and pulled it open to find Cerebella.

"Oh, hey Cerebella." Beatrix said, trying to figure out why the weightlifter was here. Had she figured out she was the one the who sent the flowers. "Uh, can I help you with something?"

"Well, uh... I was wondering if you wanted to go to the bowling alley tomorrow." Cerebella said, managing to maintain her composure.

"Like... you, me, Harry and Feng? Or you, me and Harry?"

"Actually... I was thinking just...you and me." Beatrix blinked at that, quirking her brow. Cerebella waved her hands. "J-Just as friends, just as friends..." Beatrix chuckled softly. So, Cerebella was asking her out on an unofficial date... Well, she did enjoy hanging out with the girl, and she didn't have any plans that night...

"Sure thing, Cerebella. Count me in." Beatrix replied. Cerebella perked up, beaming with happiness.

"Cool! I'll come get ya around... eleven?"

"Yeah, sure." Beatrix said with a faint smile. "See you then."

"Awesome! Great!" Cerebella said, laughing slightly as she took a few steps back, beginning to head towards her home. "I uh... I'm gonna go see how Harry's doing."

"Hey, Bella?" Beatrix called after a few moments.

"Yeah?"

"Your place is THAT way." Beatrix remarked, pointing in the opposite direction of where Cerebella had been going.

Cerebella chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. "Ah, well, y'know, I figured, since it's such a nice night out, I'd take a more... roundabout way... Enjoy the view a bit, y'know...?"

Beatrix smirked in amusement as she watched her friend stick to her guns, before frowning in concern. "Wait, Cerebella, you're gonna walk into-!"

ZAAAAAP!

"...The electric fence."

Cerebella remained frozen for a moment, then blinked, her hair going off in all directions and her nerves frazzled. Beatrix blinked in surprise, then burst out laughing at the sight. Cerebella couldn't recall the last time she heard Beatrix laugh in such a genuine way. She sighed dreamily...

ZAAAAP!

And accidentally leaned against the electric fence again, which only made Beatrix laugh harder. Cerebella blushed as well as she could with her hair partially covering her face, before sheepishly taking a few steps away from the fence.

She stepped on a rake, and it snapped up and hit her in the face, causing her to let out a low groan of annoyance before hurriedly retreating back to her home. Beatrix watched with her brow quirked in amusement. Cerebella sometimes had bad luck that could give Feng a run for her money... And it was always just as entertaining.

Actually, she noticed that Cerebella looked really good with her hair down...

"Huh... She may not just be trying to get me into bed..." She mused. "Heh... she's kinda cute when she's flustered..."

Cerebella sighed, shaking her head as she made her way back to her place. She groaned, believing she had completely blown any chance she had at playing it cool.

Indeed, she had entered the house, where Feng was snuggling Harry on the couch, and the juggler burst into laughter at the sight of her hair. "Oh my God, Cerebella, you look like you just got caught in the eye of a hurricane!" Cerebella pouted and sat next to her, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up... But I still got her to say yes." She replied with a light smirk. Feng blinked, then grinned.

"Well, good for you." Feng chuckled.

"Mama? Are you okay?" Harry asked, looking shocked at his mother's appearance. Cerebella smiled at her son and kissed him on the nose.

"I'm fine, cutie, don't worry." She cooed, patting his head.

"You need to take a shower, or... something." Feng remarked, pulling Harry close again. "Don't worry, I'll take care of the little guy." Cerebella pouted in annoyance but knew her friend was right.

Making her way upstairs, Cerebella removed her dress and thigh highs and climbed into the tub, turning the showerhead on and letting the warm water wash over her. She fell into thoughts of her crush and smiled brightly at spending time with her tomorrow. She was certainly pumped up and eager for tomorrow to arrive.

Back downstairs, Feng was cuddling Harry, gently tickling him to make him laugh. Finally, the tiny boy looked up at Feng. "Auntie Feng?" He asked.

"What's up, honey?" Feng asked with a smile.

"Mama seems really happy about something. What's she happy about?"

Feng blinked, then gave the little boy a toothy grin. "Weeeell, I think it's best to let her tell you that herself. Not really my place to tell you, y'know?" Harry nodded his head in understanding and rested his head against her chest once again. Feng smiled, then looked thoughtfully at the TV.

'Cerebella's really acting on her crush.,. Maybe I should see if I can get a date with Minette at some point soon...' She thought.

Harry didn't understand why his mama seemed so happy, but he was happy that she was happy, and Feng was happy to be holding Harry close, gently rubbing his back. Harry was such a sweetie, and there was something nice about just relaxing with him in her arms, relaxing, enjoying the night... Harry tried to hug Feng, and sort of wrapped his arms around her partially and buried his face into her chest. Feng blinked, then realized what was happening and smiled down at the boy.

She heard his soft breaths and smiled softly, rubbing the back of his head. Someday, when she finally netted herself a girlfriend, she would adopt a child of her own... Her own sweet little baby to love and care for and cherish... The thought of it brought a huge grin to her face. Yes... Interacting with Harry made one thing clear... She wanted to be a mother someday.

But for now, she'd settle for being Auntie Feng. She smiled and kissed the top of his tiny head, making him giggle. While she wanted to be a mother, she knew she'd never find a baby as precious as Harry... After a few minutes, Cerebella re-appeared and snatched her son up, hugging him close. "Harry? Auntie Beatrix and I are gonna hang out tomorrow night, so you and Auntie Feng are gonna spend some time together okay?"

Harry smiled and nodded his head in affirmation. He liked that his mother was spending time with Auntie Beatrix. He wanted them to be close. He wanted Beatrix to be a part of the family. Sure, she was a family friend, but really, the closer she was with the rest of them, the better, as far as he was concerned. Cerebella smiled. "Heh... Glad to see you're cool with it."

She kissed his cheek. "But that's tomorrow, so let's have some fun tonight!" Cerebella laughed messing with harry's hair, making the tiny boy giggle. "You wanna play a game?" She asked, holding her son up to eye level. "We can play hide-and-seek!"

Harry perked up and smiled. Hide and seek was his favourite! Feng chuckled and rose to her feet. "I'll play too. Let's get to it." She said. They decided that Harry would be the seeker. Cerebella hid in the closet, while Feng hid under her bed.

Harry began walking around the small home, looking for his mommy and auntie. After about a minute, a familiar sound was heard. "Meow?" Harry looked around, then saw Kitty lying on the couch nearby.

"Hi kitty. Have you seen mommy?" Harry asked.

Kitty stood, stretched, then hopped off the couch and jumped up onto Harry's shoulder, nuzzling his cheek gently. Harry giggled softly and stroke his pet's head. "We'll go and find them together." He said. Kitty meowed in affirmation and purred as Harry walked through the house with him on his shoulder. Kitty's nose eventually picked up a familiar scent, and he turned to the closet door and meowed.

Harry walked up and opened the closet door, finding Cerebella smiling down at him. "You found me!" She laughed, hugging her son. She looked down and saw Kitty next to her. "Aww... no fair! You had help!" Harry giggled as Cerebella set him back down on the floor.

Kitty meowed at his owner, and she smiled and scratched his chin. "Heh... You're just my cheating widdle kitty cat, aren'tcha?" She turned to Harry."Well, ya found me, now you just have to find Feng." Harry nodded and began the search, but couldn't seem to find his auntie anywhere. The only place he hadn't looked yet was her room... But was he even allowed to go in there? He didn't want to do anything that would make Feng angry...

Cerebella watched Harry wander about looking for her roommate. He seemed so lost, but so determined to find her. It only took Cerebella a minute to figure out where her friend was hiding, but Harry seemed to be wandering through every inch of their home. Eventually, Harry timidly peeked into Feng's room, nervous that he may be doing something wrong, but he also wanted to find Auntie Feng.

He entered slowly, tiptoeing around the room. "Auntie Feng...?" He called out softly. "Sorry for coming in your room, but I don't know where else you could be..." He looked around slowly before hearing something. It sounded like stifled giggling coming from under the bed. Blinking, he knelt down and looked.

He was greeted by his aunt's smiling face. "Awww, ya found me! And it was such a great hiding place too." She laughed softly. Harry smiled brightly.

Making her way out from under her bed, Feng giggled and hugged Harry. "Okay honey, your turn!" Cerebella laughed, entering the room. "Go hide, and Feng and I will try to find you!" Harry nodded before running off to hide, the two women watching as he left.

"Where do you think he's gonna hide?" Feng smirked.

Cerebella shrugged her shoulders. "Only one way to find out." She replied.. Then she closed her eyes and began to count to twenty to give the boy a chance to hide. After the countdown, the two women began the search for Harry, who had made the decision to hide buried under the laundry in the laundry basket.

The two women were stumped for a few minutes. Finally, they heard giggling coming from the laundry room and smiled to one another. "Hmm... I wonder where Harry went..." Cerebella asked playfully.

"I dunno Cerebella, maybe he ran off." Feng shrugged.

Cerebella looked thoughtful as she stepped into the laundry room. "Hmm... I wonder if he's in...HERE!" She grabbed a container of laundry detergent and opened it. "Oh? Well whattya know? Where'd he go?"

Feng put a finger under her chin. "Hmmmmm...Oh, I know! Clearly, he must be in HERE!" She pulled open the garbage bin. "Shoot, I was so sure too..."

Harry giggled again, peeking out form a small hole under all the laundry. The two women smiled to one another and slunk towards the laundry bin. "Hey Feng, did you do the laundry yesterday?" Cerebella asked.

"No..." Feng frowned. "I don't remember doing THAT much..."

"Hmm..." Cerebella mused, poking a the laundry pile, earning tiny giggles. "I wonder..."

She lifted the laundry off of her son and grinned as he laughed uncontrollably. "Well, look who it is! Pretty good hiding place, hun." She picked her son up and hugged him close. Harry happily cuddled closer to his mother, smiling brightly as she held him close. Feng smiled warmly at how the interaction went down. Harry had been so much happier lately. Even though that timidness would very likely never go away completely, it warmed her heart that he was at least laughing more.

Cerebella struggled to untangle him from all the clothes, and eventually gave up, hugging the bundle close to her chest and kissing his tiny face. She loved this more than anything. She couldn't imagine what her life would be like without Harry in it. He brought her so much happiness... and maybe even brought her and Beatrix closer together.

She smiled softly at her son and messed up his messy hair playfully. "Well, little guy, it's been fun, but now it's time for cute little kids to go to bed." Harry nodded his head and let out a tiny yawn as he leaned against his mother's chest, getting a beaming smile from her as she carried him upstairs.

When she got back to her room, Cerebella sighed as she tucked her son in. The game seemed to have worn him out, and it seemed like he could drop off to sleep at a moment's notice. "If you have any bad dreams, come find Auntie Feng or me, okay?" She said soothingly.

"Okay mama..." Harry yawned. "Thank you for caring for me mama..." Cerebella leaned forward, kissing his forehead with a wide grin.

"I'm not the only one that cares about you, Harry... You know that..." She said softly, caressing her adopted son's hair. "Now you have a good sleep. I'll be up in an hour or so."

"Kay mommy..." Harry nuzzled closer into the blankets and pillows. "I love you..." Cerebella thought the effect of those three words would have worn off by now. Nope. She was still a gooey puddle at the sound of them.

"Love you too, sweetie." She whispered softly in his ear, watching him smile and drift off into a deep slumber. She gave him another kiss before going downstairs.

"Is the little guy asleep?" Feng asked.

"Yup, He's fast asleep now." Cerebella confirmed.

"Alright, there's something I wanted to ask you, but I didn't want Harry around to hear. What's your end goal with Beatrix?" Cerebella blinked, a bit confused by the questions before finally answering;

"I... I want her to also be Harry's mom."

Feng blinked and tilted her head to the side like a confused puppy. Cerebella laughed at her expression. "What, did ya think I was just trying to get her in bed?"

"Well, no, but... But I kinda figured your reasons would be more...uh...for you, y'know?" Cerebella sighed softly and took a seat next to her best friend.

"I mean... It's for me too, Feng... Beatrix is really an amazing woman, y'know...? Beautiful, smart, witty... Wouldn't mind cuddling on the couch with her one bit. But she proved to me that she's amazing with Harry, and...I want him to have a complete family dynamic." She chuckled. "I know the usual dynamic is mom, kid and dad, but really... Who cares? As long as you have two parents, your family's complete, that's what I think."

"Listen... I don't want this be taken the wrong way, but does this have anything to do with the fact that you never knew your parents?" Cerebella's eyes widened in shock and her face paled. Feng suddenly realized she may have said the wrong thing.

"F...F...Feng..." Cerebella murmured, seeming almost close to tears from the question. "I...I... No. It has nothing to do with that." Feng wordlessly moved and hugged her friend, trying to comfort her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up..."

Cerebella bit her lip and took a deep breath. "I...I have Vitale..." She mumbled, but Feng noticed how half hearted it was and looked st her sadly.

"But he doesn't pay much attention to you..." She said softly. Cerebella clenched her fists and tensed up. Feng could tell, deep down, her friend knew Vitale didn't care about her... "...Cerebella... You know my moms love you, right?" The greenette looked at her friend. "Whenever they see you, they always do their best to make you feel like part of the family. They know your parents are gone and Vitale's too...busy to give you much parental affection. That's why they always dote on you. They want to give you a taste of that experience."

"I know..." Cerebella whispered sadly. "It's just... Harry's so innocent, and his parents died, then his family abused him and abandoned him... When he found me, I could've been a demon pretending to be kind and he still would've loved me! But when I met him... I just fell in love. the first step to helping him was helping him overcome his abuse, then... well, frankly I didn't know where to go from there. Then when I saw Beatrix and Harry together... I just knew. That was it. I always thought Beatrix was kinda cute-"

"Really?!" Feng asked, surprised.

"Yes." Cerebella blushed.

Feng leaned back against the couch. "I mean... Hot and pretty are basically stating the obvious at this point, but honestly, cute is never a word I'd use to describe her."

Cerebella chuckled. "Well... Have you seen the way she reacts to some things?" Feng gave her a curious look, signifying she didn't really tend to pay attention to Beatrix. Cerebella smiled fondly. "Well, when she got mad that I outdid her, she always crossed her arms and sulked like a little kid... When something doesn't go the way she planned, she gets so flustered and can't seem to find words... I've seen ber blush and look a bit bashful a couple times... And...did you see when she slept on my shoulder last time she came to visit?"

"I mean... I guess." Feng conceded with a slight shrug. "But... do you really think..."

"And look at how she reacts when she's with Harry." Cerebella added. "She went from stone cold even around him, to a gooey mess whenever he tries to make her happy."

"Well, I certainly can't deny that Harry has made Beatrix a lot friendlier..." Feng smiled softly. "Yeah... I think I can understand why you fell for her... She really has changed for the better... She certainly took her loss in the cooking contest well."

"Heh... Yeah, didn't even get mad when you pied her. She took those pies like a real champ..." Feng noticed Cerebella's blush and grinned softly.

"Ooooh, getting funny feelings from your crush getting covered in pies?" Cerebella buried her face in a pillow to hide her embarrassment. Feng leaned right into her ear. "There's tissues in the bathroom in case you need them y'know."

"Feng!" Exclaimed a mortified Cerebella.

"What? I don't think you'd want to-" Cerebella clamped a hand over Feng's mouth, her eyes narrowed and her face darkened.

"Stop. Talking." Cerebella said in a hushed shout. "If Harry hears you and asks any questions I swear, I will-" Cerebella stopped when she heard Feng laughing. Annoyed, she asked:

"What's so funny?!"

"Ha! You! Your face is so flushed right now! I didn't even know you could get that embarrassed!" Cerebella exhaled roughly through her nose.

"Hanging on by a thread, Feng. Hanging on by a thread." She muttered before crossing her arms and looking away, face atomic red from embarrassment.

Feng just snickered. "Having dirty thoughts? Thinking about licking the cream off-MMPH!" Cerebella hit her in the face with a pillow. "Right... Shutting up now."

Cerebella rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Feng, you're kinda becoming like Beatrix. Like, Beatrix 2.0 or something like that." Cerebella was hit in the face with a pillow in response.

"You take that back!" Feng demanded.

"No." Cerebella smiled.

Feng swatted her in the face with the pillow a second time, and Cerebella countered by hitting her again. The two girls engaged in a pillow fight that got progressively more intense. By the time they were finished, the room was covered in a massive pile of feathers. Feng and Cerebella's heads emerged from the feathers, blinking. Feng sneezed, sending feathers everywhere. "Ugh... We broke our 'no pllow fights' rule..." Feng groaned softly.

"Wow... I didn't think we went through that many..." Cerebella blinked in surprise, looking around. "Well look at the time, I need to see how Harry's doing. See you tomorrow!"

"Yeah, no." Feng rolled her eyes. "I'm NOT cleaning this up by myself. You started this, this is YOUR issue!"

"But I need to check on my son!" Cerebella countered.

"Okay, we'll clean this up in the morning!"

Cerebella smiled and turned to make her way upstairs. "Oh, by the way, Feng? You TOTALLY started this whole thing when you kept instigating me."

"What? But... I... You..." Feng realized she really had no room for argument here, and her shoulders drooped. "Okay... I'll clean it up..." She conceded.

"Great! Glad we're on the same page." Cerebella smiled triumphantly.

"You sure you precious Beatrix isn't rubbing off on you as well?" Feng countered, but when she saw the look on Cerebella's face, she quickly looked around. "Uh, wow! Look at the time! Night Bella!" Without another word, Feng ran off to her room.

Cerebella snorted and made her way upstairs, reflecting on all the things Feng had said to her. Seriously, teasing her over her crush on Beatrix? "Seriously, what is WITH her?!" She huffed. "...Maybe she's giving me a taste of my own medicine or something... Ugh... She was saying some Talliesin level stuff..."

Cerebella sighed as she shook her head, walking back to her room. When she entered, she smiled to see Harry sleeping peacefully, thankfully not seeming to be having nightmares as he slept. Cerebella sat beside her son and gently stroked his head. "Heh, I don't think you have any objections to me and Beatrix getting together..." She whispered.

Mama..." He mumbled, leaning into her touch. She smiled softly before looking out the window, in the direction of Beatrix's house. Much to her surprise, the magician was standing right at the window. Rising to her feet, Cerebella pulled her own window open and waved to see if she could get Beatrix's attention. Beatrix blinked, then waved back.

Cerebella sighed and quickly got changed before crawling into bed, wrapping her son up in her arms. She yawned and nuzzled the top of his head, letting happy thoughts of her son and potentially Beatrix all together as a family.

The next day, she was awoken by the sunlight shining through her bedroom window. Groaning, she buried her head under her pillow to try and drown it out. The feeling of stirring next to her jolted her, however, and she [somewhat grudgingly] sat up and looked over at her son with a tired grin. "Mmm..." Harry mumbled before stretching his little arms and yawning softly. "G'morning mama..." He said softly. Cerebella chuckled and picked him up.

"Morning sweetie. Did you sleep well?"

"Mmhmm..." Harry yawned, leaning against Cerebella's shoulder.

"That's great to hear. You ready to spend the day with your auntie Feng?"

"Oh... you're leaving already?" Harry asked sadly.

"No, not for a bit." Cerebella replied, kissing his head, before sitting back down and pulling him close.

She smiled as her child snuggled in closer and gently rubbed the back of his head. "We still got a good...eh, four hours before I head off to meet Beatrix." Climbing out of bed, she gently set Harry down. "All right, let's just get you dressed real quick..." She changed him into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt with a cute cat joke on it. Afterwards, she got herself dressed up in her traditional orange dress and black thigh highs. Picking Harry up and holding him against her shoulder, she carried him downstairs to find Feng just finishing up cleaning the feathers.

"Auntie Feng? Why are there feathers everywhere?" Harry asked, looking around the room in confusion.

"Well, your mom decided to attack me last night with pillows. I wasn't able to defend myself, and she made a mess." Feng replied, her answer annoying Cerebella.

"Mama... why did you attack auntie Feng?" Harry asked, seemingly horrified by the idea.

Cerebella glared at her friend. "Your Auntie Feng's a liar. She was pushing my buttons last night and just kept at it no matter how many times I told her to stop."

Feng huffed. "And so you struck me. So violent... Oooh, I still feel the agony... Oh, the pain, the paaaaain..." She moaned dramatically.

"Um... I think you both did the wrong thing and should tell each other you're sorry..." Harry said softly before looking down timidly. "Or...that's what I think at least..."

The two women looked down at Harry, then to one another. It quickly dawned on them that Harry probably didn't get that they were joking... and he seemed genuinely saddened by what they had said. The two shrugged and nodded. "Okay, fine. I'm sorry." Cerebella apologized.

."Me too." Feng nodded.

Harry seemed to perk up a bit at that, and he smiled between the two of them softly. Giggling, Feng stepped into the kitchen. "Didn't have much time to cook, soooo... Bop Tarts it is!" She inserted the pastries in question into the toaster, and when they popped out, she took two, then passed two to Cerebella and two to Harry. She herself had strawberry. Cerebella was given grape jelly. And Harry got chocolate.

Harry quietly ate his breakfast, Cerebella was thankful that she didn't need to encourage him to eat anymore, that was something. Once they were finished with breakfast, Cerebella decided to enjoy some time with her son before she left, and seated herself with harry on her lap, playfully tickling him and laughing at his tiny coos and giggles.

Feng sat next to them on the couch, smiling from ear to ear at how cute they were together. It was just a nice, cozy family moment. But it had to end sooner or later. "All right, Harry." Cerebella passed the boy over to Feng, who took him with a grin. "I'm off to go and meet Beatrix. You have fun with auntie Feng."

"Kay mama!" Harry replied with a big smile. "Have fun playing with Auntie Beatrix!"

Cerebella smiled at his adorable look as she headed off. Feng held Harry close to her chest, and rocked him much like one would a baby. Harry giggled as Feng poked his little belly before the two decided to sit on the love seat and spend some time together. Cerebella had mentioned that Harry loved stories, and she had picked up some children's books to read to him, Feng picked up the first one, adjusted Harry on her lap and began reading.

"All right, this one's called Morton Hears a What..." She began. Harry smiled contently and nuzzled into his aunt's embrace, feeling truly content.

Cerebella stepped up to Beatrix's house and knocked on the door, waiting patiently for the magician to answer. "One second!" She heard Beatrix call out.

After several moments, the magician stepped out, and Cerebella blinked. Beatrix was wearing her hair down...Her long dark hair was running down her back... She looked...beautiful...

"H..hey Beatrix." Cerebella smiled.

"Hey to you too." Beatirx replied, slightly raising a brow at Cerebella's stutter. "You ready to go?"

"Go? Go where?" Cerebella blinked.

"Bowling." Beatirx answered flatly. "Are you okay?"

Cerebella blinked, then shook her head. "Uh... Yeah! Yeah, just...a little bit tired. Still waking up, y'know?" Beatrix gave a mischievous smile.

"So, d'you like what I did with my hair? Figured I'd try something different today. Same hairstyle every day gets pretty old, y'know?" Cerebella nodded stiffly.

"Hair looks pretty girl-GOOD. Your hair looks pretty good. Uh... You should wear your hair down more often... You'd...attract...people."

Beatrix blinked, then smirked. She figured today would be a good day to try and see how far this 'love' went. In response, she winked playfully with a smirk, noticing Cerebella's eyes seemed to widen in surprise and possibly excitement. "Heh. You too." She said with a smirk.

Cerebella blinked, then reached up and removed Vice-Versa from atop her head. She looked up at her ponytail the best she could and frowned softly. "You...think I should let my hair down?" She asked softly. Beatrix shrugged her shoulders with the smirk never once leaving her face. Cerebella liked that smirk...

"Why not? I've never seen you with your hair down before. Might be interesting to see a new look for you." Hesitantly, Cerebella undid her ponytail, allowing her long green hair to fall down her back. Beatrix blinked. "Whoa... Wow..."

"I dunno, I always felt like this was just... off." Cerebella admitted with a slight shrug. "Long hair has never really been my style I guess."

"Really? I think you look great." Beatrix said matter-of-factly. Cerebella gave a small frown and tilted her head slightly.

"You sure? You're not just saying that?"

"No. I'm serious." Beatrix replied honestly. "It makes you seem... younger."

Cerebella blinked, then wrapped a lock of hair around her finger. "Wow, thanks... Um... Maybe I'll give it a try more often..." She said shyly. 'Just for you.' She added mentally.

Beatrix smirked. "Well, no sense in burning daylight here. Let's head on out. I'm totally set to destroy you at bowling." Cerebella's fiery, competitive nature found its way back.

"Hey, that's MY line." She said with a grin, following after the object of her affections. Beatrix chuckled.

"Knew that'd bring your spirit back."

As the two left, Cerebella cast a quick glance over her shoulder back towards her place, knowing Feng and Harry would be alright together, she just hoped Harry would have as much fun as she probably was going to.

"...The end." Feng finished the first short story. Harry smiled up at her, and Feng kissed his tiny head.

"Auntie Feng?"

"Yes cutie?"

"What do you do with Mama in the show?" Harry asked curiously.

Feng grinned broadly. "Weeell... We don't always work together. Most of the time, Cerebella's way up on the tightrope while I'm down on the stage."

"Tightropes...?" Harry asked timidly. "But... But isn't that dangerous...? What if mommy falls off and gets hurt...?" He worried for his mother... He'd be devastated if he lost her.

"Aww, don't worry about Cerebella, sweetie, she knows what she's doing. Though she did fall off once... She made a hole shaped like her body, but she was just fine aside from that."

"Oh... okay then." Harry bit his lip, not liking the idea that his mommy may have gotten injured... "But you seem to be throwing things. What's that?"

"Oh, you mean juggling?" Feng asked, suddenly smiling widely down at Harry, who nodded in curiosity. "Well, that's my talent! I can throw things in the air and catch them. Wanna see?"

"Yes please!" Harry said, his eyes wide with hope. Feng giggled and kissed his forehead.

"Who could say no to that little face?"

Walking over to the shelf, she grabbed three books and began to juggle them expertly. Harry watched with great interest, intrigued by his aunt's skill. He had been so busy training with his auntie Beatrix that he hadn't paid much attention to what his mother and aunt were doing. So seeing it undistracted was amazing. "Hey, Harry! Toss some more in!" Feng chirped, grinning ear to ear. "I can juggle WAAAY more than just three books!" Blinking, Harry grabbed another book and tossed it in.

This went on for a few more times until Feng was now juggling eight books at once, tossing them back and forth, under arm and over arm, spinning them as they went, smiling as Harry watched with absolute amazement the whole while. When she finished, she began the process of catching each individual book, catching seven of them.

Wait. Wasn't there eight?

Bonk!

"Ow!" Feng exclaimed as the final book came down and hit her on the head.

Upon that slip-up, the rest of the books fell from her hands and crashed down atop her head, flooring her. Harry, concerned, rushed to his aunt's side and tried to help her up. Feng pouted as she rose to her feet, crossing her arms over her chest. "Ugh... I don't know what went wrong there... Usually I can juggle like...fifteen of those."

Harry approached and hugged her leg, looking up at her with an apologetic expression. "Sorry, auntie Feng... I must have done it wrong..."

"Nah, don't worry about it cutie." Feng smiled, picking him up in a hug. "Sometimes people make mistakes, that wasn't your fault." Harry looked up and smiled, nuzzling closer to Feng's chest. the juggler smiled and kissed the top of his tiny head.

"So, watchya wanna do now?" She asked, smiling at the tiny boy.

"Uh... Do you wanna play another game?" Harry asked, tilting his head slightly.

Feng giggled and nodded her head. "Sure, little guy, let's go see what we can find in the game shelf." She cooed as she carried her little charge off.

Meanwhile, Cerebella and Beatrix had arrived at the bowling alley, and were currently standing in front of a lane. Beatrix had first roll, and she bowled a strike. "Heh... Beat that, boobzilla." She taunted. Cerebella quirked a brow at the nickname, then smirked.

"Don't be jealous, Miss Hips."

Cerebella noted that Beatrix actually seemed somewhat annoyed by the nickname. However, aside from a slight frown she didn't show it too much. Cerebella aimed her throw and rolled it. It went straight down the centre, and struck the main pin. But that was all it hit. Somehow, the ball went through the front pin and then went through, not touching any of the others.

Cerebella blinked owlishly, then turned to look at Beatrix, who was giving her the biggest grin she had ever seen. She turned away with a pout. "A fluke, Nothing but a complete and total fluke." She said flatly. Beatrix put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a condescending smirk.

"Suuure. Why not just admit that you suck at bowling?" Beatrix rolled another strike and pumped her fist. "Yes! It's so good to finally be better than you at something!"

"So that's one too... I dunno, seven thousand?" Cerebella smirked, and Beatrix turned to look at her, annoyed.

"Two actually. I'm better at bowling and at teaching. Heck, maybe I'm even better at being a mother." Cerebella's eyes widened in horror at that remark, and Beatrix laughed at her reaction.

Cerebella looked blankly at the floor, having no idea how to respond. Beatrix's laughter ceased. "H-Hey... Hey, I didn't mean that... I was just kidding..." Cerebella said nothing. Beatrix frowned and approached slowly. She studied her friend, then hesitated for a moment before pulling her into a hug. "Cerebella... You are an amazing mother. I could never be half the mother you are. Harry chose you as his mother, not me. He asked you to be his mother. Don't let what I just said get to you. I'd never intentionally insult your skill as a parent..."

Cerebella was shocked. Not only because Beatrix was hugging her, but because of how genuine she seemed with what she was saying. After a few moments, Cerebella smiled and hugged her ex-rival back. "Thanks... I just get nervous sometimes..." Cerebella sighed. "I really want to be a good parent, I just... You were such a comforting presence to him while I was gone, that meant a lot to me. You were able to comfort him when he needed it."

Beatrix gave a slightly shy smile and looked down. "Well... Y'know... When a kid needs you... You have to be there... And it just... felt right... Y'know?"

"Yeah... I get what you're saying. I had that exact feeling when I first found him. That feeling that he needed me..." The two fell into a brief silence.

"Y'know... I've never actually had friends before." Beatrix admitted. Cerebella blinked and looked at her. "Yeah... I lived a pretty lonely existence before Harry came along... As much as I love my rabbits, pets can't match human companionship. You being my friend now... Even after all I've done... It means a lot. But... I'm also not used to having friends... So... If I ever put my foot in my mouth and say something wrong... Call me out on it, okay?"

"Yeah sure." Cerebella nodded. "You can start by not cheating at this game."

"Whoa. Hold on." Beatrix shot back with a laugh. "How is having skills cheating?"

"Magic is cheating." Cerebella countered with a goofy grin.

"Well, technically Harry was cheating when we played that one time. Wouldn't Vice-Versa count as magic? I'm pretty sure it does. Therefore, your son cheated more than I did. Ergo, you're really at fault here." Cerebella wanted to reply, but her mouth hung open in confusion as she tried to process everything that had just been said.

"I uh... You... Ugh..." Defeated, Cerebella grabbed a ball and rolled it down the alley, the ball rolling down the gutter. "Aw, c'mon..." She groaned.

Beatrix chuckled. "Hey, can't win 'em all, Cerebella. Bowling's just my game, that's all." Cerebella still pouted and Beatrix rolled her eyes in amusement. "Okay, okay... How about this... Let's just drop the whole competitive thing and play the game casually? Just having fun? Might make you a bit less grouchy."

"Fine, sure. But I'm not grouchy that you won, I know you're using your magic!" Cerebella countered, taking another ball and rolling it down the lane. At first, it seemed like a great throw, with a small spin and good speed, but then it suddenly curved off and went into the gutter. Beatrix did everything she could not to laugh as Cerebella felt like ripping her hair out. "I thought we agreed not to do that!" She snapped.

"I didn't do anything!" Beatrix laughed.

Cerebella crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "Uuuugh..." She groaned. "Stupid game... Really has it out for me..." She muttered in frustration. Beatrix shook her head in amusement. There was something almost...endearing about Cerebella's petulance.

Finally, Cerebella managed to get a spare. It did little to even out their scores, but it was something, and Cerebella's 'proud' look was really cute in a childish way. She seemed like a little girl who had gotten a good grade for the first time or something like that.

Beatrix rolled her eyes in bemusement, then rolled another strike while not even looking at the pins. "Still can't top the circus' star bowler, Cerebella."

"Y'know what? Just let me have it, okay?" Cerebella replied with a flat expression, shoulders drooping slightly. Beatrix just chuckled and stood aside so she could take her enough, they had bowled themselves into boredom, and were stepping out of the building. "Ugh... Man, I'm starving... Wanna grab something to eat?" Cerebella asked.

"Sure." Beatrix nodded, feeling a bit hungry herself. "Where do you want to go?"

"You won, I figured I'd let you choose." Cerebella replied with a shrug.

"Yeah, But... I really don't care." Beatrix frowned.

"Oh, c'mon! We'll be here all day at this rate!" Cerebella groaned.

Beatrix shrugged her shoulders. "Well, let's just check out the first place we see then." She said coolly. Cerebella blinked, then nodded her head.

"Right... Yeah, that sounds like a great idea." She agreed. Beatrix gave the tanned greenette a large smirk and crossed her arms over her bust.

"And really... Would being here all day with me REALLY be so bad? I mean, I'm SUCH good company." She said this as she rubbed against Cerebella slightly with a teasing smirk.

"Uh-huh. Sure." Cerebella said with a flat look, although internally she was screaming like a high school girl whose crush had agreed to go to the prom with her. "GREAT company..."

"Are you really that bitter over losing to me again?" Beatirx asked mockingly. "It's alright to be second-best, I think Feng knows a lot about it. "

"Oh now that's just mean! She isn't even here to defend herself!"

"Exactly."

Cerebella huffed slightly before smirking. "Actually, was it not Feng that beat you in the cooking competition? Sooo... Who's second best again?"

Beatrix stared blankly. "...Well... You... She... Ugh..." She grunted in frustration, crossing her arms over her bust. Cerebella grinned triumphantly.

"Hey, think we should bring somsthing back for Feng and Harry? Bet they'd appreciate a little treat." Cerebella mused. Beatrix nodded her head.

"Yeah, the little guy doesn't seem to be eating enough. Even with all you and Feng have been feeding him."

"The poor little guy didn't get enough to eat... his 'family' refused to feed him." Cerebella scowled, eyes narrowing slightly in agitation. "I just feel like no matter how much I feed him... he'll never get over it all."

"Well, that or he'll end up as big as Hubrecht." Beatrix shrugged.

Cerebella put a hand to her knife and chuckled. "Harry? As big as Hubrecht? I don't see that happening at all. Kind of a funny thought though."

"Heh... Yeah, I guess it is." Beatrix agreed. Eventually, they reached a small diner and decided to settle for it. They took a seat and waited for the waitress.

"So, Harry do anything impressive with his magic when I wasn't looking?" Cerebella asked.

"For the most part we did some training, and tried some more telepathic communication. He's a fast learner." Beatrix replied. "Some people are just born with a stronger attachment to magic, and Harry's is... unbelievable at times. He learns faster than anyone I've ever seen."

"Do you think that had something to do with his family?" Cerebella asked.

"Maybe. Some people are given magic from magical parents and some are just born with it regardless of their families bloodline. If I had to guess, Harry's parents were pretty strong in magical prowess though."

Cerebella nodded her head in understanding. "Geez... If they were that good, it's pretty hard to imagine what could have happened to them..."

"Honestly? There's a very real chance they could have been killed by another more powerful wizard... There's always a bigger fish y'know."

Cerebella tensed up. "Wait... If someone did kill Harry's parents... Does that mean they might come back for him at some point?!" Exclaimed a panicked Cerebella.

Beatrix thought it over for a minute. She genuinely didn't know. Reforming or resurrecting the dead was possible, but extremely hard. And in Harry's case, even if they succeeded in bringing someone back to try and kill him, they wouldn't find him at his family's house. "I doubt it." Beatrix finally said. "I mean, magic is really, really unpredictable and all, but bringing someone back is nearly impossible. And if whoever killed Harry's parents is dead, most likely he was only after his parents."

Cerebella relaxed slightly, but still looked a bit on edge. "I'm still gonna be on my guard." She said seriously. "Anyone comes after my kid, they're getting their face pummeled into pudding."

"I'll be standing right behind you in that line." Beatrix replied with a shark-like grin. "I've been practicing all sorts of hexes that I'd just love to test out."

Eventually the two found themselves at the restauraunt they were at when they last came to town. The wordlessly looked to one another then nodded, wordlessly agreeing. They made their way into the resurfacing and sat down near a window.

The two didn't have Harry to make conversation easier, so Cerebella decided to break the ice a bit. "...Favourite...food." Beatrix blinked, then looked thoughtful.

"Hmm... I'm a bit partial to pumpkin pie, honestly... Especially with lots of whipped cream... Hmm... Favourite... colour?" Cerebella smirked lightly.

"Gotta go with orange, honestly. I mean, it's just a really nice, mellow colour... Makes me think of a nice summer sunset. Always a nice view... Okay, favourite...movie."

"Oh geez. Uh, Cocoa. Beautiful animation, amazing story and music." The magician answered.

"Really? I thought it'd be one of those magic heist films." Cerebella laughed. Beatrix noticeably groaned and buried her had in her hands.

"I HATE those movies..." She muttered. "People KNOW magic exists, and yet they still make movies where they completely re-write all the rules and abilities of magic!"

"And yet the movie with magical music doesn't?" Cerebella smirked.

"I don't mind fiction, so long as it's GOOD." Beatrix flatly responded. "Yours?"

"Actually, I'd say Book of The Living." Cerebella answered. "I always liked Lakia films' style."

This went on for several minutes, the two women just exchanging information about themselves. They actually found themselves enjoying it quite a bit.

Cerebella learned that Beatrix enjoyed dancing, disliked the Midnight books enough the burn them in her fireplace, and had dated a boy in the past before discovering her true preference. Beatrix learned that Cerebella enjoyed Sudoku, had an intense dislike of cockroaches, and absolutely couldn't stand quitters or people who were always angry.

Eventually the two realized that they had came here for food and placed their orders, both women realizing there were a lot of things they had in common. It was weird, considering how they had always gotten along in the past, to find out there was so much they liked... Well, they thought it was interesting. As they waited for their food they kept taking, discussing their routines, and their skills. Beatrix explained some of what Harry could potentially learn when she was asked.

Cerebella smiled widely as Beatrix described her son's potential to her. She felt proud. "Heh... My boy's really something, isn't he?" She said softly.

"He's going to be incredible." Beatrix affirmed with a nod. "His natural ability never ceases to amaze me. Maybe he'll even folllow in my footsteps one day." She teased lightly.

"What would that be like? Would he end up taking over your position?" Cerebella asked.

"Eh, more like he'd become an assistant or a partner." Beatrix shrugged, seemingly not being too annoyed by Cerebella's attempted dig.

The greenette smiled at the thought. "Heheh... I'd love to see my boy working for the circus someday... But there's no guarantee he'll choose that job."

Beatrix smirked. "Yes, yes, I know, he has so much potential... He could do anything if he sets his mind to it." She said softly. The two women smiled fondly.

"Weird question." Cerebella finally spoke up again. "Not saying this is what should've happened or anything, but what would you have done if you had found him? Y'know... instead of me." Beatrix was going to respond, but quickly fell silent once again. It was a good question. If she had found Harry, would she had even bothered taking him back with her? And if she did, would she have been as kind as Cerebella? Or even as kind as she was to him now? Or would she fall into the same pit her father did... and be no better than his family...

The magician rubbed her arm and looked down with a small frown. "It's...hard to say for sure, Cerebella... The fact that you were the one to save him is honestly a pretty big part of why I changed..."

Cerebella blinked. "Beatrix..." She said softly. "You're not thinking you'd have hurt him... Are you?" She asked softly. Beatrix sighed and looked down.

"Let's not beat around the bush here, Cerebella... I'm a bitch. I'm a massive, unpleasant bitch. And I've been a bitch for about as long as I can remember..."

"...Nope." Cerebella said coolly. Beatrix blinked in confusion.

"Nope? What do you mean nope?"

"Okay, well... you kinda were." Cerebella began, getting an annoyed and somewhat angered look from Beatrix. "But then I got to know you, and more importantly, you got to know yourself. When Harry arrived, you had been living in this almost... aura of self-loathing. I can't say why, and I won't claim to understand it, but there was something about how you viewed yourself that seeped into how you saw, well, everyone else. It was kinda toxic, and I don't think you'd disagree with me on that." Beatrix didn't reply, feeling like everything that was being said was deserved, but she wasn't expecting what Cerebella said next: "But I don't see that. At least, not anymore. You've changed Beatrix, and I think the hardest thing for you right not is realizing that you have." Beatirx still remained silent, genuinely taken aback by what had been said. Was she right? Was Cerebella... yeah. Yeah she was. Now that Beatrix thought about it, she realized why she understood what Harry had been feeling.

She smiled softly and rubbed her arm, looking down rather bashfully. A warm, fuzzy feeling was welling up inside her... And she liked it a lot. She looked over at Cerebella with a smile. "...Thanks... I... I don't know what to say... You... You're a lot more profound than I ever imagined you could be..."

Cerebella chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. "Hey, I'm definitely not some ditzy airhead, no matter how much you wanna think that."

"Well, I believe that." Beatrix conceded. "And I'll be honest, I think Harry has been the major reason for any sort of change between us. Like, remember a few years back when we were doing that thing for Vitale? And we were trying to sabotage one another?"

"Oh please stop..." Cerebella moaned. "That was in the past. I thought you were... well, an idiot."

"And I you." Beatrix countered. "But ever since Harry showed up, things have gotten better."

Cerebella smilled softly. "Yeah... He really is something special... I haven't even had him for a month, but... It's kinda hard to imagine life without him now..."

Beatrix chuckled softly. "I'm sure many other new mothers have felt the same way you have." She said softly. "It must be a nice feeling..."

"It is... It's... It's impossible to describe... He just... All the love on that little guy's face makes it all totally worth it... y'know...?" She said softly.

"Kinda. I think I had a different experience when he asked me to stay with him while you were gone." Beatrix smiled, thinking back to that night. "He seemed like a lost... well, a lost kid, looking for his parents. He was just so cute."

"Yeah, I know what you're talking about." Cerebella smiled. "When I brought him home, he seemed so frightened of even letting me hold him. I feel bad for saying this, but he honestly seemed like a newborn baby."

Cerebella chuckled softly. "Heh... He cried quite a bit more back then too... He had two breakdowns in the span of one day a few days after I first adopted him..."

Beatrix noted the sadness in her tone and sighed softly. "Yeah, he had a couple breakdowns staying with me too... The poor little guy..." Both women fell silent, and it became apparent to both of them what the other was thinking about... The sheer horrors the Dursleys had put Harry through.

"He said you met them. What happened?" Beatrix frowned, realizing she hadn't been told what happened when Cerebella met Harry's 'family'. Cerebella's face seemed to take on a mixture of both anger and twisted enjoyment.

"They tried to hide what they had done. It didn't work." Cerebella replied simply.

Beatrix bit her lip and sighed softly through her nose. "Okay... So... How exactly did you figure it out, Cerebella?" She asked softly. Cerebella clenched her fists violently.

"Those bastards enjoyed it, Beatrix... They made a damn scrapbook full of pictures of all the stuff they did to him... They... They don't deserve to be called human."

Beatrix scowled at what she was hearing. "A scrapbook... A damn SCRAPBOOK... Disgusting low-life trash... I'm tempted to make a quick trip over there myself!"

"Hey, if it didn't entail leaving Harry again for a few days, I'd be down." Cerebella shrugged. "Sure, we left them alive, but... y'know?"

"Yeah... yeah I do..." Beatrix seethed. It was so much worse than she had expected. Not even her own family were that bad.

Cerebella looked down at the table. "So... You saw everything, you said...? Like... through a spelll...?" Beatrix nodded her head in a solemn manner.

"Yeah... I got a front row seat to it..." She affirmed. "And it was just as awful as anything you saw... Maybe worse. I actually saw it happening instead of just still images..."

"I just can't imagine how horrific that must've been for him." Cerebella sighed. "He's just a little kid! We get into a fight, we feel pain, but we're fine after, he was a tiny boy! How could anyone do that to him?!"

"Well, maybe it had to do with hatred for him, maybe they were just idiots." Beatrix shook her head, unsure if she should bring up the blood wards or not.

Cerebella clenched her fists and teeth, fuming with anger. "Ugh... Neither one's a good option... And both make me wish I'd strangled those things..."

Beatrix smirked. "Yes, the fact that they aren't dead showcases remarkable self control on your end. Well done."

"Yeah, But... was it?" Cerebella sighed.

"Do you want to look Harry in the eyes and tell him you killed his family?" Beatrix asked. "Abusers or not, how do you think he'd react to that?"

"That... that's a good point."

The two women fell into a brief period of silence as they ate their food. The topic of the Dursleys had spoiled the mood quite a bit, and now they were unsure of what to say.

"...Beatrix?" Cerebella asked softly, prompting the magician to look up with a hum of acknowledgement. "...Harry needs protection... Will you protect him if I can't for whatever reason?"

"Yeah. Of course." Beatrix nodded without a second thought about it. "I'd take care of him if anything happened."

"Thanks..." Cerebella sighed. "I... that's good to know."

"The poor little guy. He needed you to find him." Beatrix sighed.

Cerebella blushed slightly, but smiled nonetheless. "And find him I did..." She said softly, thinking back to the first time she mer her son. A day she'd never forget... "...He's hit a little growth spurt." She said proudly. "Now he has a little more meat on his bones, and if you look closely, he's a bit taller too." She smiled fondly. "That good, I'm glad. As much as I love him as a tiny cuddle bug, if he doesn't grow... well, I'm just..."

"I've never seen you so flustered." Beatrix smiled. "You seem to be nervous after every thought. You sure you're okay?

Cerebella smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah... I'm fine... Absolutely, totally fine." She assured. 'I'm here with you, after all... How could I not be?' She thought to herself.

Beatrix nodded. "Good. Glad to hear it. Well... I'd say we've finished eating now. Think it's best we pay the cheque and make our leave now." The two girls split the bill, and left the restaurant to head back to the Cirques de Cartes. Cerebella remembered her decision to pick something up for Harry and Feng.

Afterwards, the two walked back, mostly in silence. Beatrix was thinking about all they had talked about, and Cerebella was thinking about how much she had in common with the magician. 'She really isn't as bad as I thought...' Beatrix conceded mentally. 'But... what's she still hiding?'

"She's perfect. She'd make a great mother for Harry." Cerebella thought.

Both women looked over at each other, Beatrix with an expression of curious intrigue and Cerebella with a warm, tender smile. Their gazes locked for a few seconds before they turned away from one another. Beatrix found herself very intrigued with Cerebella. It was a bit difficult for her to explain, however... She was just fascinated with the weightlifter, and wanted to learn more about her. Meanwhile, Cerebella was fantasizing about the life she could have with Beatrix. Them cuddling on the couch, exchanging kisses, working together to raise Harry... And when Harry and Feng were asleep... 'No! No, bad Cerebella, bad! Don't think perverted thoughts... She hates pervs...' She scolded herself mentally. Beatrix noticed her blush and quirked a brow.

"You okay back there?" She asked.

"Huh? Yeah! Yeah... I...Uh... just... yeah. I'm good!" Cerebella replied with a dumb grin. Beatrix raised a brow, but said nothing.

"Okay." The magician shrugged. 'Man she's acting weird. Maybe she's serious...' Beatirx thought to herself.

The two women walked in silence for a bit before Cerebella noticed a street vendor selling kettle corn, a special seasoned popcorn. She grinned. "That looks like a good thing to bring home to the kid and best friend... Gimme a sec." Beatrix nodded, then waited patiently as Cerebella bought Harry and Feng their treat.

She came back with four decently sized bags, surprisingly enough, and handed one to her. She blinked, then slowly took it. "Thank you..."

The two continued walking back, munching on the kettle corn, both finding it was really good. "This is better than I expected." Beatrix remarked.

"Have you never had this before?" Cerebella asked.

"No, actually. I thought about it but never got around to trying it." Beatrix shrugged in response. "Now I kinda regret not trying it sooner."

Cerebella smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Better late than never I guess. Heh... That guy's always there y'know. Sells his kettle corn for a living."

"I'm honestly kind of surprised he hasn't opened a full shop or even corporation yet..." Beatrix mused before shrugging. "Either way, good stuff." The two women walked down the street quietly, not entirely sure what else to say, but still quite content to be in good company with one another.

Back at their place, Feng was feeding Harry the lunch they had made. She had seen Cerebella do it before, and she wanted to try it. Harry was currently snuggled into her arms, enjoying the meal they had made together. "Cerebella should be home soon." Feng said aloud, both to Harry and to herself. She was honestly surprised they were gone as long as they had, but still. If Cerebella was happy, who was she to judge?

She wondered to herself what happened on their little outing. Did it go well? Did they form a nice bond? Did they officially get together? At a glance, the two seemed incompatible. They had such radically different personalities and appearances, it was hard to imagine them together. Yet, as they say, opposites attract. Honestly, Feng found the idea of them coming together very, VERY romantic... Two rivals, brought together into romance by a mutual love for one little boy...

Still, shed be fine if they were gone a bit longer... She enjoyed having Harry all to herself, cuddling the tiny boy close, paying with his hair, enjoying his warmth... and it was clear Harry was enjoying their time together as well. He was so cute! The way he remained snuggled close to her, happily enjoying her presence, he really was an angel. "Heh, you're just a cuddly little cutie." Feng grinned.

Harry cooed softly in content and nuzzled in closer to her. Feng giggled and planted a kiss atop his head. Oh, how she loved her precious little nephew. Harry loved his auntie Feng almost as much as his mother... He loved his family so much... He hoped he could stay with them forever and ever... Feng smiled tenderly down at Harry, and her mind began to drift. Oh, how she wanted a cute, sweet baby of her own... And a nice girlfriend to help raise them too... Now she had more to be jealous of Cerebella over than just her figure.

Still, not much she could do at this point. She decided she'd just take all the time she could with Harry even if that meant trying to get Cerebella and Beatrix out of the house more often. Harry squirmed about, then sat on her lap, smiling up at his aunt. "Why are you so cute?" Feng cooed down at the tiny boy, earning a giggle from the boy. She kissed the top of his head playfully and pulled him close.

She pouted and groaned internally as she heard the sound of the door opening. "We're hoooome!" Cerebella called out, prompting Harry to hop out of Feng's lap.

"Mommy!" Harry cheered as he rushed to greet his mother, who grinned when she saw him and snatched him up in her arms, holding him under his armpits and twirling him around.

"Hey, hun!" She laughed as she held him up to eye level and pressed their noses together. "Heh... You being good?" She asked jokingly, already knowing the answer.

"Yes mama!" Harry said, trying to hug Cerebella.

"Well, I knew you'd be!" The weightlifter laughed, kissing his head. "I'm glad to see you and your auntie Feng having fun together. But I'm even happier to have you back!" Beatrix just smirked at the scene in front of her. The kid really was too cute for his own good.

Cerebella looked up at Vice-Versa, who nodded and handed the bag of kettle corn he was holding over to Harry. "Mama gotcha a treat!" She said with a grin.

Harry perked up and accepted the bag of flavoured popped kernels. "Thank you, mommy!" Cerebella grinned and kissed his nose before looking over to Feng.

"Hey, Feng! Catch!" Vice-Versa tossed the closed bag over to the juggler, who caught it one-handed.

"What? Oh sweet!" Feng exclaimed as she caught the snack. "Thanks Cerebella!" Harry was currently trying the snack, and he seemed to be enjoying it, as his face seemed to light up as he ate it. Cerebella grinned and hugged him closer.

"Thank you mama." Harry said happily, leaning into her hug.

"Don't mention it, did you and auntie Feng have a good time?" Cerebella replied.

"Uh huh! She showed me her juggling and we played games and..." Beatrix stood and watched the family interact with a small smile on her face. Yet she couldn't help but feel a bit... out of place. Was there room for her in this little family dynamic? This trio was the happiest she'd ever seen.

Still, maybe Cerebella was being sincere, and maybe... Wait. Did Cerebella want her to be Harry's mother as well?! Huh... She had always assumed that Feng would be Harry's mother... Was that why she was being so friendly? Or did she actually like her?

She shook her head and nodded in Cerebella's direction. "Well... It was great, Cerebella, but I really should be going now... My rabbits need to be fed."

Cerebella nodded her head with a smile and waved. "All right, see ya later, Beatrix! Let's have another outing soon, yeah?" Beatrix nodded and walked off. Cerebella watched after her and smiled warmly before turning back to Harry. "All right... Why don't you tell mommy all about your day now, Harry?"

Harry smiled and began telling Cerebella all about what he and Feng had done that day. Cerebella was happy that she and her son were so close...

The tightrope walker sat on the couch and smiled warmly at her child, listening closely to his every word. His energy warmed her heart... When he finished, she patted his head gently. "Glad ya had a good day, little guy!" She leaned down and kissed his forehead, getting a soft giggle from him.

Harry giggled and leaned in towards his mother's chest. She chuckled and decided it was time for him to take his nap. Cerebella kissed him one last time as she tucked him into bed. "Night cutie pie." She cooed.

The boy snuggled closer into the blankets and cooed softly. Smiling, Cerbella spared him one last glance before stepping out the bedroom door.

Cerebella was feeling great. She felt like she was getting closer to Beatrix than ever before. During their conversation, she felt a spark, a connection. Something. But there was something genuine and real, something warm between them. She didn't know where to go from here, but she hoped Beatrix felt the same way she did.

Beatrix sat in her armchair, absentmindedly petting her rabbits, who were asleep in her lap. She was deep in thought about Cerebella, and the time they'd spent together that day. Cerebella was interesting. Very interesting. She'd seen nothing but a ditzy hothead for years, but now she better understood the brawler. She was a little on the naive side... But she had heart. And a lot of it, too. She was naturally a very kind and loving person that understood far more than she let on.

Maybe the magician was wrong to assume her original intentions were only lustful. The brawler's affection seemed genuine, and now she was left wondering if she felt the same way. Oddly... the brawler made her feel... accepted. Something that she knew little about if she was honest. All her life she had essentially been used by someone else. Her father, the Medcis... But Cerebella wasn't like them. Or at least, wasn't any more. It wouldn't be fair to say she was 'using' her when she was the only one who knew how to properly train Harry without him getting potentially hurt (or anyone else for that matter) but the mentorship now felt more like a true friendship.

She smiled softly and stroked Hazel's ears, closing her eyes. Yes... Cerebella was a friend. A true friend... And she wanted to spend more time with her. Cerebella had invited her to her home on several occasions. But she had never invited Cerebella over to her house before... Perhaps that would be a good idea. She smirked slyly. "I wonder if Cerebella can handle the good stuff..." She mused to herself, looking over at her alcohol cabinet.

She figured that tomorrow night would be a good time to offer. If she offered tonight, she'd feel like she was rushing into things. Still, she figured if Cerebella felt the way she seemed to be acting, she'd agree to it any time. Beatrix just hoped she wouldn't get out of hand, the last thing she needed was a drunk weightlifter destroying the circus, or annoying others to no end.

Chuckling to herself, she continued petting her rabbits, thinking about what awaited her the following day...

The next morning, Cerebella woke up and yawned, stretching one arm as she held Harry close with the other. She smiled over at her son and kissed his cheek. This action caused the little boy to stir and awaken, and he happily rested his head on his mother's shoulder. "G'morning, mama..." He mumbled sleepily.

"Hiya, cutie." Cerebella smiled, pulling her son close as he woke up. "You look so cute when you're sleeping." Harry smiled and nuzzled closer, Cerebella enjoying the moment as she patted his tiny head. Ever since she found him, things really had been looking up.

She stepped out of bed and helped Harry get dressed before changing into her own traditional outfit of her favourite orange dress and thigh-highs. Grinning, she carried her son downstairs to breakfast. But just as she set him down at the table... She heard the sound of knocking at the door. She blinked and looked at Feng, who was still cooking. "I'll get it!" She said before making her way to the front door and pulling it open to find Beatrix.

"Oh, hey Beatrix." Cerebella blinked then smiled. "Can I help you with something?"

"Uh, I was wondering if you were doing anything later tonight, and was wondering if you wanted to hang out or soemthing." She mentally noted what sounded like a tiny squeal of extreme happiness from Cerebella, but didn't say anything.

"Yeah, that'd be great!" Cerebella said with a huge grin.

The magician grinned and quirked a brow at the young weightlifter. "Great." She said. "But uh... I was thinking we could get out the drinks, soooo... Harry should probably stay home."

Cerebella grinned broadly. "All right! I don't get to hit the bottle very often. For some reason, Feng gets grumpy whenever I get tipsy."

Beatrix didn't reply, giving a slight shrug in reopens. The two stood there for a few more moments, then the magician wordlessly left, leaving Cerebella with a huge grin on her face. "Mama?" Harry asked, looking up at Cerebella. "Is everything okay?"

Cerebella smirked and kissed his head gently. "Yeah. I'm fine, Harry. Better than fine, in fact. Don't worry about me. Heh... I'm in a great mood." Harry smiled and nodded his tiny head, glad that his mother was okay. Feng, meanwhile, smirked when she noticed to lovestruck look on her friends' face.

"Another day with Beatrix, Cerebella?" The acrobat grinned in response.

"Not till later tonight, actually."

"Ah, okay." Feng nodded. "I think you'd better spend some time with Harry then, the little guy loves me, but I think he likes spending time with his mom a bit more." Harry looked up from where he was petting Kitty with a confused look on his face.

"Mama?" He asked.

Cerebella smiled, picked her son up and cuddled him close. "Hi, little guy." She cooed softly, rubbing his back gently. She felt him snuggle up and beamed. "Sooo, any idea what you wanna do until I go over to visit Auntie Beatrix?" The tanned brawler asked softly. Harry looked up at her with a smile.

"I just... wanna snuggle with you for a bit, mommy... Is that okay...?" He asked softly.

"Sure, hon." Cerebella smiled, sitting down and holding Harry close. The tiny boy nuzzled into her hug and smiled up at his mommy. No words needed to be said, the two just remained at peace where they were, the tiny boy being held safely by his mother. Cerebella gently ran a hand through his hair, making the tiny boy giggle.

When breakfast was served, Feng simply set it down in front of them with a smile, and Cerebella fed Harry one-handed, keeping him held firmly in her other arm. After finishing breakfast, she gently cradled the little boy in her arms as if cradling a newborn infant and smiled tenderly down at him as she moved into the living room. "Oh my God you're so adorable... It's just not even fair..." The young woman whispered softly as she cuddled her adopted child close to her bosom.

Harry just smiled up in response. His mama's kind words of affirmation were something he never realized he wanted so badly. Cerebella wrapped him up in one arm as she began gently tickiling his chin, making him laugh gently. "Augh... why are you so precious?!"

She kissed his cheeks and grinned broadly down at the little boy in her arms. "Heheheh... I am SUCH a lucky mom..." She whispered softly. Harry just laid in contentment. He always loved to savour his adopted mother's unconditional love... She had treated him with nothing but love since the day she'd found him...

"I love you, mommy..."

"Love you too, cutie." She cooed softly, making the tiny boy yawn. The pair thought things were only looking up for them, but little did they know that things weren't always going to be the picturesque future Cerebella imagined for the two... in fact, their bond was going to be tested in a way that would shake the pair to their very core.

But that was for another day. In present time, the mother and child were as close as could be... Cerebella spent the entire day with Harry, until nightfall came. "All right, Harry..." Cerebella set her son down. "You be good for Auntie Feng, okay? I'll be back very soon." She leaned down and kissed his cheeks.

"Okay mama." Harry smiled up at Cerebella. The weight lifter grinned and patted his head.

"Don't worry Cerebella, I'll take care of the little guy." Feng smiled, pulling Harry into a warm hug. Harry giggled at the hug and leaned into it.

"Well, don't have too much fun you two!" Cerebella laughed.

"Same goes for you." Feng taunted. "Tonight could be the beginning of something wonderful between you and Beatrix... or this cold be the night you burn it all to the ground..."

"Feng!" Cerebella exclaimed, shocked.

Feng grinned cheekily, pulling down her eyelid and sticking out her tongue. Cerebella, rather petulantly, did the same to her. Harry giggled. "But seriously, Bella... I'm rooting for ya. Go and win the pretty magician over." The juggler encouraged. Cerebella grinned and flashed a thumbs up.

"I plan to. ...Think I'll leave Vice-Versa behind, though... Can you make sure he gets his excercise? He gets a bit antsy if he can't lift weights."

"Yeah, sure." Feng nodded. Cerebella smiled down at her son one last time and left. Leaving the two in a brief silence. "You wanna make some dessert?" Feng asked, holding Harry up to eye level.

"Okay auntie feng!" Harry said happily.

Giggling, Feng picked her nephew up and carried him into the kitchen. "All right, let's do... chocolate cream pie, sound good?" Harry nodded with a smile.

Beatrix set out the bottles on the table, gently shooing away Hazel when she tried sticking her nose in one of them. She did not want a drunk bunny on her hands. When she heard the knock on the door, she moved to open it, and found Cerebella awaiting her on the other side. "Hey, Beatrix." She greeted.

"Hey Cerebella." Beatrix replied with a slight smirk. "C'mon in." Cerebella followed the magician into her small home. She had been here once or twice before, but things seemed calmer that when she was last here.

"How was your day?" Cerebella asked.

Beatrix shrugged her shoulders. "Eh... Pretty quiet, really. Just sort of hung around, spent time with my rabbits, made sure things were set up..." The magician turned to face the weightlifter. "You drink at all, Cerebella?" The tan-skinned woman blinked, then chuckled softly in response.

"Sometimes. Feng's usually pretty grumpy afterwards though. She thinks I'm 'annoying' when I'm drunk, heh... Can you imagine that?"

"...Yeah." Beatrix said after a moment of silence, partially questioning if this was a good idea, but then decided just to go with it. "Imagine that." Cerebella thankfully didn't seem to pick up on her hesitation or concern, or at least didn't say anything about it. The two kept talking for a few minutes, mostly just about whatever had been going on recently, but they both knew it was kinda hard to because they had talked at length for so long about it a few days ago...

What they did discover, however, was a lot of genuine enjoyment out of each other's mere presence. Even without saying a word, both women just felt... at ease. Eventually, however, the main event came up. Beatrix grabbed a bottle of scotch and poured two battles. "Wanna play a drinking game?" She asked.

"Sure..." Cerebella replied.

"It's called 'never have I ever'." Beatrix explained. "We take turns saying something we've never done. If we have, we drink."

"Okay, sounds fun." Cerebella smirked.

Both girls took a seat. Cerebella started. "Okay... Never have I ever... said anything bad about Hubrecht." Beatrix took a drink. "Aw, B, really?"

"What? He's too... touchy-feely. And he doesn't know his own strength either. I swear he almost broke my spine." Cerebella nodded, seeming to accept her answer. "All right, never have I ever... been groped by a pervert."

Cerebella took a sip of her drink and Beatrix chuckled. "Ah, no surprise there... Y'know how it works. The bigger they are, the more likely they'll be groped... You beat the hell outta the guy?"

"Yes." Was all Cerebella said, clearly not wanting to say more about the incident.

The game went on for a few minutes, and it was Beatrix's turn. "Never have I ever purposely embarrassed a friend." Cerebella paused, clearly not wanting to admit to something, then finally took a drink.

"Look, Feng was bugging me all week and I figured it was the best way to get her to stop." Cerebella huffed, annoyed.

The tanned brawler then looked thoughtful. "Never have I ever... yelled at a kid." Cerebella waited for Beatrix to take a sip, and was pleased when she didn't.

"Yelling at a kid's no way to get the point across." The magician replied with a shrug. "It's better to just... get a bit stern and talk to them. Don't scare them, but make sure they get it." Cerebella beamed. She loved that answer. "Okay... Never have I ever... broken someone's kneecaps."

Cerebella took a sip. "Vitale had me do it. You know I'd never be able to refuse." Beatrix nodded. "Okay... Never have I ever... kissed a girl."

Beatrix, much to Cerebella's delight, took a sip. "I'm all over the fairer sex... I had a girlfriend back in highschool, but my dear old dad put a stop to THAT pretty quickly... Homophobic bastard..."

"Wow... I..." Cerebella began but trailed off, not knowing how to respond to that. "That sucks..."

"You have no idea how much I hated him..." Beatrix shook her head. "Regardless, your turn." Cerebella thought for a minute, not sure of what to ask, but wanting to try for a lighter question.

"Never have I ever woken up somewhere I didn't know after drinking heavily."

"You're supposed to say things you HAVEN'T done." Beatirx smirked, not taking a sip.

"I haven't!" Cerebella protested.

Beatrix chuckled. "Would it be because Feng has to babysit you?" She teased. Cerebella stared blankly at her before her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Yes..."

Beatrix chuckled, then had a thought. "...Never have I ever... considered myself to be attractive..."

Cerebella didn't drink. "Yeah, of course." Beatirx rolled her eyes. "Until you met Harry, I'm pretty sure 'I look good' was one of the three thoughts you had in your head."

"And the other two were?"

"Lift weights, I'm sexy..." Beatrix trialled off and shrugged. "My bad, guess it was just two thoughts."

Cerebella looked at her seriously. "You really don't think you're attractive? I thought you'd be proud of your looks." She asked. Beatrix looked away, arms crossed over her breast.

"Well... No... Not really... I mean... When I see other women who are clearly hotter, I guess I just... I dunno... Feel... kinda... ugly..." Cerebella grabbed her hand and looked her dead in the eye.

"Your dad put this in your head?" Beatrix didn't respond, but the look in her eyes said it all. "...Beatrix? You're not ugly, alright? You're freaking beautiful."

Beatrix didn't say anything. She didn't even look at Cerebella. "You really believe that?" Beatrix finally asked.

"Yes! Why would you believe you aren't?!" Cerebella asked in disbelief.

"I..." Beatirx wanted to answer, but she didn't feel like she could.

Cerebella sighed softly. "I mean... You have a really nice face, for one thing..." Beatrix looked over with a small frown. "And... Your hair's nice too. I love the colour... It shines really nicely in the candlelight..."

"C-Cerebella..." Beatrix said softly, taken aback at how sincere the brawler sounded.

"And your eyes. They're... They're so pretty... I... I could just look into them forever... And... Well... I could say all sorts of nice things about your body, but... That would just ruin the mood I'm going for... Heh... But... Beatrix... You're incredible to look at... But... You're also beautiful on the inside."

Blushing, Beatrix looked at the acrobat with wide eyes. Cerebella took a deep breath. "Beatrix, despite our differences and the fact that we used to be at each others throats for years, these past few weeks since you started teaching Harry...I've come to know an entirely new side of you, and I really like what I see. You're strong, smart, confident, and you've come to care more about Harry and I than I ever expected you to be capable of before. You're an incredible woman, and you didn't deserve to be hurt by that man who had the balls to call himself your father. If I ever met him, I'd pound his face in... But even that wouldn't be enough to satisfy me knowing he hurt such an amazing girl..."

Beatrix looked away, shoulders shaking violently as she bit her lip. "I...I...I..." She stammered, voice cracking. Cerebella frowned, then pulled her into a tight hug.

"Beatrix... You need to have yourself a cry, okay? I'm not asking you to. I'm telling you to. You need to let it out. You've held back for way too long.

Beatrix sighed, then downed her drink, then finally let it all out. She latched tightly onto Cerebella and cried softly into her shoulder, letting her pain and pent up emotions finally out. She never expected she would do this with anyone, let alone Cerebella, but it felt good. Beatrix let everything out, and she felt secure while being held by Cerebella. Maybe this was what Harry felt like when he finally opened up. Still, she let everything out, she cried and let it all go.

After about half an hour, the magician's sobs ceased, and she felt something swell up inside her as Cerebella continued to hold her, gently stroking her back and whispering sweet nothings into her ear. She felt warm... She felt her heart beating a mile a minute... Cerebella was... incredible... She was an amazing person... She couldn't believe this was the same woman she had hated so much not long ago...

Cerebella looked down at Beatrix, then took a deep breath. "Beatrix... The more I've gotten to know you, the more I've come to terms with my feelings." Beatrix looked up at her. Cerebella took a deep breath, and forced herself to confess to her crush. "...I love you, Beatrix... And... I really do mean that... Ever since the day I came back from that trip and saw you with Harry, I knew... I just knew that... That I wanted to be with you... I wanted to... get to know you better as... As more than a friend..." Beatrix's expression was unreadable. "...I understand if you're not interested... I just wanted to get it off my che-"

Then, before she could even finish her sentence, Beatrix practically tackled her, and her eyes snapped wide open as she felt the magician's lips press firmly against her own.

Cerebella was shocked by the sudden action, and didn't know if it was the alcohol or not, but she didn't care. The woman she loved was kissing her, and she kissed back. She felt her heart warm like she did when she held Harry, only this time, she knew what this was. This was true love. She loved Beatrix, and from what she could tell, Beatrix loved her back.

After a few moments, Beatrix pulled back, and her eyes widened in horror and shock. "I...uh...no...I...i..i..Ididn..." She mumbled, blinking frantically. Cerebella grinned and kissed her back.

Beatrix tensed up, her face turning completely red, and her eyes snapping wide open in shock. She briefly considered pushing Cerebella off... But then she began to relax and just melted into the kiss. The two women slowly wrapped their arms around each other and pulled each other closer. They stayed locked together for approximately five minutes, neither woman wanting to end the kiss. Eventually, both women pulled away from each other and gazed into each other's eyes.

"Heh..." Beatrix muttered.

"Wow..." Cerebella sighed, rubbing the back of her head.

"Uh..."

"Yeah..."

The two women remained silent for a few moments, then smiled at one another again. "So... I think... I think I need a drink." Beatrix finally got out, picking up the bottle again.

Cerebella just sat down, her face beet red. She stared at the table silently for a few minutes before speaking up. "So... Uh... Beatrix...?" She said softly.

Beatrix looked up at her with a slightly tilted head. "Yes, Cerebella?" She replied.

"Does this mean that...you and I are... Y'know... A thing now...?" Beatrix put a finger under her chin in mock consideration, then smirked, leaning down and kissing Cerebella's cheek.

"Looking forward to the first date, babe." Cerebella's joy filled her up completely, and she sat with a large smile on her face.

"Heh... Me too..."

The two women stared into each other's eyes, smiling warmly at one another. "Hey, so... Just so you know. I kinda hope this means you'd be Harry's..." Cerebella began but trailed off, not sure of what to say. Beatrix blinked for a moment, then her eyes widened as she realized what Cerebella was implying.

"Are you serious?" She asked.

Cerebella took a deep breath and nodded her head. "...I want Harry to have a complete family... Not just a single mom..." She explained before trailing off a bit. "And besides... I saw how you are with him... The way you held him when I first got home...? The way you comforted him when he needed you...? You're... You're the perfect woman to be Harry's second mom."

"I guess... it's just... There's Feng, and we've... like... just recently begun to like one another. Why are you..."

"It's when I saw you comforting him, that night when I returned." Cerebella explained. "He was just so peaceful, so happy. You seemed like a natural mother for him."

"Yeah... but... are you sure about this?"

Cerebella nodded her head. "Beatrix... You and I are dating now. You're my girl. Who else am I gonna get as Harry's second mom? That would be spitting all over our new relationship."

Beatrix nodded her head, both in understanding and acceptance. "Y-Yes... Yes, Cerebella... I... I would be more than happy to be Harry's second mother..." Smiling warmly, both women rushed forward and pulled each other into a tight embrace, resting their chins atop each other's shoulders.

"I think Harry's gonna be really happy." Cerebella remarked with a grin. "He really likes you."

"He does?" Beatrix asked, surprised.

"Yeah, he doesn't always know how to say it, but it's clear he really likes you." Beatrix smiled. Sure, Harry was always kind to everyone, and he was always kind to her, but there was something nice about knowing he cared for her that much.

Cerebella pulled away from the hug, putting her hands on Beatrix's shoulders and smiling as she gazed into her eyes. "...We should go and tell him... Right now."

Beatrix slowly nodded her head. "Y-Yeah... Let's... go back to your place and see... our son..." The magician whispered out the last part softly.

The two smiled at one another and got up, heading out the door. Meanwhile, Feng was resting Harry against her shoulder, rubbing his back. The tiny boy had a content smile on his face as Feng continued comforting him. He was almost like a baby, and maybe it was a bit immature to treat him like this, but Feng really didn't care.

Vice-Versa was lifting his weights in the next room, looking about as happy as could be. Then, the door opened, and Cerebella stepped in, Beatrix outside waiting for her cue. "Hey, guys. I'm back." Cerebella said softly. Feng looked up with a bright smile.

"Hey. How'd it go?" The beaming smile on Cerebella's face told her everything.

"Feng... I have something I need to explain to Harry. Can I have him?" Grinning broadly, Feng handed Harry to his mother, who took him with a loving smile.

"Hi, mommy. Did you have fun with Auntie Beatrix?" Harry asked innocently.

"I sure did, hun... But there's something I need to tell ya." She sat on the couch and kooked her son in the eyes. "So... You know how a lot of families have a mom, a kid and a dad?" Harry nodded. "Well... That isn't always the case. Some families have two dads or two moms. Because... Well, two boys and two girls can fall in love just like a boy and a girl. Your auntie Feng has a huge crush on a girl from another town, for example."

"Ooooh..." Harry nodded in understanding. "I hope she likes you too, auntie Feng."

Feng giggled. "Trust me... So do I."

Cerebella chuckled. "But the reason I'm telling you this is because... Mommy has a girlfriend now. And you have a second mom."

Harry looked up at Cerebella, confused, then looked up at Feng. "I don't think it's me, cutie." Feng giggled.

"Who?" Harry asked, still confused. At this point, Beatrix entered the small house, and Harry looked up in surprise. Harry blinked, almost seeming confused, before looking up at his Mama, then over to Beatrix.

"Mama?" He finally asked. Feng's smile widened in delight as Beatrix smiled and nodded in confirmation.

"Yeah, if you... if you want to, you can call me mama." Beatrix said softly, her heart practically exploding at his adorable confusion.

Harry looked at Cerebella, then Beatrix. "I... I have... two mamas now...?" He spoke softly. Cerebella smiled softly and nodded her head.

"Yeah... You do." She said softly before setting him down on the floor. "Go see your other mommy." Harry looked back at her, then made his way over to Beatrix slowly. Smiling softly, Beatrix picked him up and cuddled him close to her breast, gently rubbing his back in a soothing manner. And Harry remembered the comfort she had shown him when his mama was out... The love she gave him... "...Mama..." Hs said softly, resting her head against Beatrix's breasts.

"Heh... you're so cute..." Beatirx said calmly, patting the tiny boy's head. She leaned forward and kissed the small boy's head. This is something she had wanted... but oddly she hadn't known she wanted this, but now that she had it, she never wanted to let go it. Feng smiled at the happy scene happening between the three.

She was glad that Harry had a complete family. And she was glad that Cerebella got the girl in the end. Giggling softly, she took a seat on the couch and watched the scene play out. "I'm glad you're already accepting of me, Harry..." Beatrix said softly. "Most kids your age would be reluctant to accept a new parent coming into their lives after they're used to it just being the one..."

"But... you're really nice." Harry said quietly. "And... you helped be understand what I am... thank you." Beatrix's heart melted at those words.

"Aw... you're so precious honey..." Beatrix cooed.

Cerebella stepped into the hug, embracing both girlfriend and son. "All right! This is really happening! Now we're a full family of three! Well, seven if you count pets and living hats. Heh..."

Beatrix quirked a brow, then rolled her eyes in amusement. "You're such a dork." She chuckled. "But then, I guess that's one of your appeals."

"Yeah?" Cerebella grinned. "Guess I could say the same about your smug attitude, Trixie."

Beatrix shrugged. "Well, they say there's nothing more attractive than a confident woman-Wait, did you just call me Trixie...?"

"Yes." Was all Cerebella said in response. Beatrix paused, blinking in surprise. She honestly didn't know how to react to the name. But eventually she shrugged it off.

"Well, I guess that's how it is, Cere." Beatirx replied with a smirk. Cerebella laughed. She felt so happy. She had a family. Harry had a family... This was perfect.

The two women gave each other another smile, then exchanged a quick peck on the lips. "So... First date after work tomorrow?" Beatrix asked.

Cerebella smiled. "Sure. Sounds good."


	11. Chapter 11

The next day came and went with nothing of real note, but when the night came, both Cerebella and Beatrix were unnaturally excited. When the two met up they grinned and took one another's hands."So... ready?" Beatirx asked.

"Yup! But... I was wondering about something." Cerebella replied.

"What?"

"Can we bring Harry?"

Beatrix blinked, then frowned slightly. "Well... I'm not really against bringing Harry with us, Cerebella, but if we do, it becomes less of a date and more of a family outing."

Cerebella smiled nervously. "Okay then... Well, our first family outing is an important milestone we need to cross, right?" Beatrix sighed, then nodded.

"All right, but tomorrow, we're going out to dinner. Just the two of us."

"Yeah, that's fair." Cerebella nodded. "Or we can do that tomorrow. I'm really down for either."

"Y'know... If it's okay, I'd kinda like this to be just you and me." Beatrix said bashfully, taking Cerebella's hands. Cerebella blinked, then grinned.

"Sure, Harry can spend some time with Auntie Feng. He likes spending time with her."

"Alright. But I think soon the three of us should do something." Beatrix added.

Cerebella nodded her head in affirmation. "Totally," She said softly. Giving Beatrix a quick kiss on the cheek, she turned to go and tell Harry and Feng.

"Hi, mommy. You gonna go out with mama now?" Harry asked softly. His decision had been made. Since he now had two mothers, Cerebella was mommy, while Beatrix was mama.

"Heh...That's right, buddy. Feng, look after him while I'm gone, okay?"

"No problem." Feng smiled. "Have fun!"

"We will!" Cerebella laughed as the two set out. Feng smiled down at Harry and scooped him up again.

"Well, look like it's you and me again sweetie." Feng cooed, nuzzling Harry's cheek.

Harry smiled happily. He liked spending time with his auntie Feng. Now that his mother was spending time alone with his other mother, she had more time with him. And he knew she was happy about that. He liked to see his auntie Feng happy. He smiled as she picked him up and carried him to her room, no doubt to play board games.

Meanwhile, the two women were waling through the town again, talking with one another and feeling closer than they had in a long while. Beatrix knew she had made the right choice, she and Cerebella really did work well together. And it was clear both of them were happy, so who cared?

"So, there's this really nice restaurant near the edge of town that I'd like to check out." Beatrix explained. "They have a dance floor and a balcony with a really nice view of the city."

"Yeah, that sounds great!" Cerebella said with a nod. "Let's hail a cab and go check it out!" The two women spent a few minutes waiting until a taxi came along.

When it arrived, the two got in, still talking to one another. It was clear the feelings they had for one another were getting stronger, and both of them were happy with that. As the taxi drove them, they kept talking as if they were old friends, a far cry from how they used to see one another just a few months ago. "Hey, how long has it been since you found Harry anyway?" Beatrix asked.

Cerebella blinked, then looked thoughtful, putting a finger under her chin in thought. "Huh... I think it was a month today that I found him." She realized.

Beatrix blinked in surprise, then smirked. "Wow... This has been a really eventful month, hasn't it?" She said softly. The two women fell silent for a moment. They looked over at one another, smiling, and they could just tell what the other wanted. They both leaned forward for another kiss.

Once they had finished, both blushed, still being new to this whole 'relationship' thing. But before either could say anything, they noticed that they were nearly at their destination. "Well, let's see if this place is as good as you say." Cerebella teased. "It better be worth it." The weightlifter didn't see the shocked look on Beatrix's face.

The magician looked forward, face red, and smiled softly, still thinking about the way the acrobat's lips felt against her own. Yes... Her relationship with Cerebella was a good one...When the taxi came to a stop, Cerebella paid the driver, then they stepped out onto the street, ready to begin the big first date of their lives. The first of many...

The two smiled at one another as they made their way into the restaurant, looking at the sights of the newer establishment. There was a large window looking out over the city view. The sun was still somewhat up, casting the sky in a beautiful reddish-gold.

The two women exchanged a glance. "Well, whattya think? I know how to pick a good place or what?" Cerebella chuckled and nodded her head.

"Yep. It's a nice place alright. Buuut that's just the way it looks. What's really important is their services. Let's go check it out!" They entered the building.

The atmosphere was nice. It seemed like a high-end establishment, but also not a place where people were some focused on their own self-image that you had to be an elitist to fit in. Both women knew that didn't exactly suit their styles.

Yes, it was a higher end pub that everyone could enjoy no matter their social status or preferences. The dance floor and the dining area were on opposite sides of the building. The two women decided to start by having dinner, making their way to the balcony so they could enjoy the beautiful evening weather. They grabbed a table and took a seat. "Man... Quite a view, huh? You can see the entire city from up here!" Cerebella exclaimed in delight.

"You ever think about leaving this town?" Beatrix asked off-handedly. Cerebella blinked and looked back in surprise.

"What?" She asked.

"I mean, this city is great and all, but do you ever wonder if there's more out there?" The magician replied, explaining her question.

"No..." Cerebella replied after a few moments of silence.

Beatrix nodded. "Yeah, I get it, loyalty to the Medicis and all that... But hey... I wouldn't mind seeing what's beyond this kingdom... Who knows what we'd find?"

"Yeah... It's a weird world we live in." Cerebella agreed. "There could be all sorts of crazy stuff out there... But honestly? For now, I'm pretty satisfied with what I have."

"Yeah, But maybe someday... y'know?" Beatirx remarked.

"I get it, but I'm not sure I wanna uproot Harry and start just traveling, I don't know if he's up for that." Cerebella reasoned.

Beatrix chuckled softly. "I think he'd be up for anything as long as you were there with him..." Cerebella tilted her head and Beatrix smiled softly. "Cerebella, I've never seen such a close bond between mother and son... He loves you with every fibre of his little being. It's so clear to see." The magician looked out to the city. "I...I just hope I can come close to that level of... unconditional love you two share... I'd hate to just... be a third wheel to you two..."

"Well, if he didn't care for you, I don't think he'dve let you hold him when he got scared for one thing." Cerebella replied honestly. "He really did seem attached to you, and he really seemed to warm up to you as you trained him."

"Yeah, But.. you found him." Beatrix reasoned.

Cerebella nodded her head. "Yeah... I did find him... But that doesn't mean he can't love you too, Beatrix. He's already calling you mama. That's a huge step."

Beatrix nodded her head slowly. "True... He was very quick to just... accept me... I'm amazed at just how much love that little guy has..." She said softly.

"Well, when I got to know you, I could see why." Cerebella said with a smile.

"Heh. Thanks." Beatrix said with a slight smile, rubbing the back of her head. "Same goes for you. I can see why Harry really grew attached to you."

The two women smiled at each other before finally picking up their menus. "Hmm... I like the looks of this steak..." Cerebella said with a grin.

"Yeah, the reviews always mention the steak. Though me, personally, I'm gonna go ahead and go for the seafood platter. Hey, waiter?!"

The two placed their orders and turned their attention back to one another. "So... Any book recommendations...?" Cerebella asked. "I wanna see if I can get into reading so we have more to talk about."

"...He enjoyed Hummingbird, I was kinda surprised." Beatrix answered after a few moments of thought. That did get a reaction out of Cerebella, who's eyes widened in shock.

"You read WHAT to him?!" She exclaimed.

"Hey, hold up." Beatrix said defensively. "Look, I read him the story, he didn't understand most of the words. But he got the general idea of it. In fact, he seemed to sympathize with it. ...aside from that. I... I think you'd enjoy the 'Eberron Rising from the Last War' series." Beatrix nodded. "It's a bit of a strange series focusing on a mixture of fantasy and mechanical beings that find themselves living in a world after a massive war."

"So, it's steampunk?"

"Kind of, but it leans more into the fantasy than the steampunk. It almost seems like the world they've built has always been like that."

The conversation went on like this for the entirety of their meal. Beatrix would offer various suggestions for books to read and Cerebella would listen intently. Honestly? She really liked listening to her girlfriend speak... She had such a beautiful voice... Which gave her an idea... "Hey...Trixie... It's karaoke night here. You sing at all?"

"No." Beatrix immediately replied, her face turning white somewhat, which gave Cerebella the true answer.

"Yes you do." She smirked.

"I don't." Beatrix flatly replied.

"Sure."

"Bella. I will make you regret this if you try to-" Beatrix began but was cut off when she saw Cerebella's grin, realizing she was probably encouraging Cerebella regardless of what she wanted.

She exhaled through her nose. "We'll go to my place after the date and I'll sing for you there... Just... not in public... Please..." Cerebella nodded in understanding.

"Fair enough. Oh, hey, food's here." The waiter put down their orders and politely told them to enjoy before heading off. They dug in quickly. "Aw man, that's some good meat." Cerebella said with her mouth full.

"Bella... Please don't talk with your mouth full... I don't want to see your chewed up steak." Cerebella grinned sheepishly.

"Heh. You sound like Feng."

"I really hope Harry grows up with better manners than you..." Cerebella finished her bite, then rolled her eyes.

"Oh, c'mon. We both know Harry will turn out better than either one of us."

Beatrix smiled slightly. "Yes... He's a good boy... Very well mannered... Very smart and talented... Very loving..." Cerebella chuckled softly in delight.

"You already sound like a proud mom, Trixie... You're adapting to it fast." The acrobat said warmly. Beatrix blushed slightly, but smiled nonetheless.

"I'm glad I have your approval... I really am..." She said softly. "The fact that you chose me of all people... It really does mean a lot..." Cerebella smiled.

"Hey, I was serious when I said it, and I don't think I'd take it back." Beatrix blushed slightly and rubbed the back of he neck, embarrassed.

"Well, I'm glad you did. I really like the little guy."

Cerebella chuckled softly. "Heh... Yeah... He's a likeable little guy..." She said fondly. "But hey... Right now, this is about us. So how's your seafood?"

Beatrix smiled. "Very good. I'm glad I ordered it... I love seafood..." Cerebella nodded in agreement.

"Heh... Feng makes a mean seafood linguinni. It's the best thing you ever tasted, I'm not even exaggerating."

"Huh. I'll have to try that at some point." Beatrix remarked. "Hey, how long have you two known each other?"

"Since we were kids." Cerebella replied. "As long as I can remember, we've known each other. She was always like a sister to me."

"Well, you two always did seem close." Beatrix nodded. "If you didn't look so different, I could've believed you were sisters."

Cerebella chuckled softly. "Yeah... We did a lot together when we were kids... Heh... Her moms would take me with them whenever they did something with Feng and Vitale was too... y'know... busy."

Beatrix blinked in surprise. "Moms? Plural?" She asked curiously.

"Yeah, Feng's parents are lesbians like us." Cerebella shrugged. "One mom's a super hyper ball of energy, the other's a moody gothy bat feral. Heh... Different as the night and day, but they know how to make it work..."

"...Huh." Beatrix finally said. "Didn't know that."

"Yeah, it seems like they wouldn't get along, but they do. In fact, they get along great." Cerebella chuckled. "Opposites attract I guess."

"Yeah, I guess they do." Beatirx smiled looking over at Cerebella.

They finished their meal in a content silence, looking up at one another periodically and smiling warmly. The date was going swimmingly so far. When their food was finished, they called the waiter over for the cheque. "This one's on me, Trixie. I'll be paying for the dancing too." Cerebella said with a grin. Beatrix nodded and allowed it. After paying, the pair rose to their feet, holding one another's hand and smiling brightly. They looked each other in the eyes, then exchanged a quick kiss.

They made their way over to the dance floor, enjoying the slower song that was playing. The pair were a bit awkward, but eventually found a good groove. They enjoyed their time together, letting the music guide them, as if it was only the two of them in the whole world...

Suddenly, the music began to pick up in a much more lively song. They paused, and Cerebella smiled widely.

"I love this song!"

"Which one is this?"

"Palisades Park!"

Beatrix blinked. "Oh yeah... Old pop song... Heh... Well, let's go crazy then, shall we?" Grinning, Cerebella grabbed her hand and the dance began anew. Cerebella knew Beatrix enjoyed dancing from the talk they'd had at the cafe, but what she wasn't prepared for was just how good a dancer the magician was.

Still, somehow Cerebella kept up. They didn't know if anyone was watching them, but they didn't much care. They were happy, they were enjoying this, just the two of them. They danced for a few songs before leaving the floor and going over to the balcony, looking out over the night skyline. "It's beautiful out there." Cerebella remarked.

"Heh... Yeah... It sure is..." Beatrix said softly. Cerebella looked over at her with a wry smirk and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in close.

"But y'know what? No matter how beautiful that view is, it's nothing compared to the view I get from right beside me." She turned and looked Beatrix in the eyes. Beatrix blushed slightly and looked off to the side. Honestly, she was still unsure of how to handle Cerebella's sweet talking... It was really sweet, but it made her so... bashful.

It was... odd. She had spent her whole life in anger, trying to find some sort of purpose... she spent so long only ever finding pride or a sense of satisfaction in her own work. Now, here was Cerebella. Giving her a sense of happiness and joy she never knew she could have. The question for her now was... how did she respond? She knew how to say nice things to the weightlifter, but how did she show the same affection?

All sorts of responses ran through her mind, but she had no idea how to convey them. Eventually, she just started spewing out everything that came to mind. "And you... uh... pretty... hot... thing... I like... your face and uh... nice eyes, I wanna... look at them and stuff, uh... You're a nice girl, I like you, you're cool, really cool... Yeah... Cool..." She coughed awkwardly. 'REALLY, BEATRIX?!' She internally scolded herself for her complete ineptitude.

This wasn't helped by Cerebella's laughter. She shivered for a moment, nervous about what she was going to say, she slowly looked over at Cerebella, who smiled widely at her. "You're new to this, aren't you?" She chuckled, pulling Beatrix a bit closer. "But still, thank you. It's sweet."

'Well, maybe you didn't royally screw this up...'

"But you're not much of a sweet talker."

'DANG IT!'

Cerebella kissed the magician's cheek and rested her own cheek atop her head. "But hey... Actions speak louder than words, just like the old saying goes."

Beatrix said nothing in response. She just smiled softly at the close contact. "This was a great date night..." She said softly. Cerebella nodded.

"Sure was... But it's about time we got home now. It's almost time to put Harry to bed. Wanna come and help me tuck him in for the night?"

"Sure." Beatrix grinned.

Back at their small home, Feng was sitting with Harry snuggled on her lap. The tiny boy was trying to stay awake, but he was so sleepy, and he was losing the fight more and more each moment. Feng enjoyed holding the tiny boy close, gently playing with him as he drifted off. He was so precious!

When she heard the door open, she smiled softly and rose to her feet, holding Harry close as she went to meet the two lovers at the front door. Cerebella was the first to enter, followed by Beatrix, and she smiled at the sight of her son. "Here, Feng. Pass him over to Beatrix. She came to say bye before she heads home."

Gently handing the sleepy boy over, Beatrix smiled down at her son. Man, that felt so weird... but yeah, he was her son now. "Hi cutie." She cooed softly, rubbing his cheek.

"Hi Mama..." Harry mumbled, enjoying the feeling of being held by his mama. He was happy that his mommy was happy, and he was happy that his mama was happy.

Beatrix chuckled and held him against her shoulder, lightly patting his back. "Auntie Feng tucker you out?" She smirked as Harry nodded his head.

"It was fun... It was a fun day..." He mumbled into her shoulder. Beatrix kissed his cheek and rested her chin atop his head gently, smiling in content.

"Glad to hear it... Now, let's get you to bed..." She whispered softly into his ear, gently bouncing him in her arms as she carried him to his room.

Harry smiled as his mama carried him into her room, gently tucking the tiny boy into bed. "I love you mama..." Harry yawned. Beatrix grinned and kissed his forehead.

"I love you too, sweetie." The magician replied softly.

Cerebella turned to Feng with a beaming smile, and Feng looked equal parts shocked and impressed. "See? What'd I tell ya? She's a natural." She whispered. Beatrix gently stroked the boy's hair to try and lull him to sleep. Then, Cerebella got an idea. "Hey, Beatrix... You should sing him a lullaby." Beatrix looked over at her with wide eyes and she beamed back. "You did say you'd sing when we got back... And this is a perfect opportunity."

"...Well... All right... I suppose..." Beatrix conceded.

Harry seemed happy as Beatirx rubbed his cheek gently, then the magician began a gentle song. She didn't know where she had learned it, but it had always stuck with her. Harry seemed absolutely mesmerized by the song, his sleepy eyes widening slightly, then closing once again as the song put him to sleep.

Cerebella, meanwhile, was absolutely floored by the sound of Beatrix's voice. It was truly a beautiful sound... It was like listening to the song of a siren. Beatrix kissed Harry's temple gently, then rose to her feet with a smirk, putting her hands on her hips. "Sleep tight, hun..." She whispered softly. She turned to the door and looked at Cerebella with a grin. " I'd better get back home now. But here's one for the road." She pulled the acrobat into a kiss, even slipping a little tongue.

When they finally pulled away, Cerebella smiled and waved at her girlfriend as she headed out. Sighing, she took a seat next to her son on her bed and gently took one of his hands. "You're so precious..." She cooed. "Thank you for everything you've brought me."

Harry subconsciously squeezed her hand, and she smiled at him lovingly before leaning down and kissing his head. She sighed softly. Life was truly good...


	12. Chapter 12

The next day came and Cerebella was still in great spirits. When she had woken up, Harry had been snuggled close to her, clutching her shirt like a blanket. It was so adorable, Cerebella didn't want to move. But when Feng had told her Beatirx was looking for her, she was quick to get out of bed.

She felt Harry stir as she got up, and she kissed his tiny head gently as he looked up at her with tired, bleary eyes. "Mmm... G'morning, mommy..."

"Morning, Harry. Have a good sleep?" Cerebella asked with a tilted head and a beaming smile. Harry nodded and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Mama has a really pretty singing voice..."

"She sure does." Cerebella replied, kissing Harry's head, earning a happy coo. This was great, she had a family now, Harry had a family now! What more could they ask for? "I wonder if..." She began but frowned and shook her head. While Vitale had been her parental figure, she couldn't see him as Harry's grandfather... Still, he didn't seem to have any issues with her keeping him, so who was she to complain?

And hey... Maybe someday, he'd be open to the idea... Surely he'd come to love Harry like he loved her... Right...? ...Vitale loved her... He did... Her mood slightly dampened, she made her way down to the door, and the sight of her girlfriend brought her spirits back up almost instantly.

"Hey Cere." Beatirx grinned, seeing her friend do an almost 180 from when she began opening the door until now. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah, and so did Harry." She smiled. "Your song put him right to sleep and he had a peaceful rest. It was just what he needed."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that." Beatirx smiled at the tiny boy still waking up. "Morning, baby."

Harry looked over with a tiny smile. "Good morning, mama..." He said softly before yawning cutely. Beatrix chuckled softly and held her arms out.

"May I?" She asked. Cerebella smiled and handed Harry over to his second mother. Beatrix took him and cuddled him close. "Still sleepy, hun?"

"Hi mama..." Harry mumbled, yawning as he continued to wake up. Beatrix grinned and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Glad to see you slept well." She grinned, patting his back.

"Your song really helped." Harry mumbled.

"Yeah, I don't know what you were so nervous about, you've got a really good voice!" Cerebella added.

Beatrix looked bashful, a look that Cerebella thought was absolutely adorable on the magician. "Thank you... I just... don't really like singing in public..."

Cerebella grinned and pulled her girlfriend into a one-armed hug. "Then I'll just have to get a karaoke machine. It'll just be the four of us singing. No judging from strangers or anything!"

"I don't know how to sing." Harry said absentmindedly, and Beatrix held him up in front of her.

"Well, I can teach you." She smiled at him.

"Really?!"

"Of course, hon." Beatrix grinned, kissing his head before handing him back to Cerebella, who happily took him back.

"But that's for some other time. For now, we're all gonna head out and have fun as a family! Just the three of us!" The acrobat exclaimed excitedly. Harry perked up and smiled brightly, ready and willing to spend time with his adopted mothers. He was overjoyed at getting to spend more time with mama Beatrix.

The look on his face mad both women's hearts melt. He was so excited to be spending time with his parents. It was like they had been together when they adopted him in the first place. Beatirx smiled and kissed his head again. "Yup. I think we'll have some fun together today." She said with a grin.

Cerebella bounced him in her arms and kissed his nose. "Well, if we're gonna go out, the first thing we need to do is have ourselves a good breakfast."

"Sounds good." Beatrix nodded as she stepped into the house, giving her lover and son a warm smile as she did so. Feng was preparing food in the kitchen.

"Morning!" She called, not looking back over her shoulder. The three seated themselves at the table, and Cerebella hugged Harry before handing him over to Beatirx, who was happy to hold her son. Harry smiled happily up at Beatrix, the magician noticing he finally seemed to have some more meat on his bones, as he wasn't as light as he used to be.

She smirked lightly and poked his nose. "You're getting to be a big boy." She remarked. Harry beamed at the praise, much to her liking.

"Heh... He sure is. These past few weeks have been really good for him." Cerebella agreed. "He's less jumpy, he's smiling more... I'm glad he's out of his shell."

"I still remember when you found him. It didn't seem like he'd even talk to Feng, let alone me." Beatrix remarked.

"I was afraid he wouldn't talk to anyone." Cerebella admitted. "The little guy was so terrified of... well, everything. I honestly didn't really know what to do."

Harry fidgeted slightly, feeling guilty about making his mother worry. Beatrix noticed and petted his head gently. "It's not your fault, hun. Don't feel bad."

"Yeah, only ones to blame here are the walrus and the llama." Cerebella agreed. "But they're a thing of the past now. No one will hurt you like that again."

"Thank you." Harry said, looking up at the two.

"Just relax, hon." Beatrix smiled. "Everything's gonna be alright." Harry believed that. For the first time in a long time, he believed that things would turn out alright. His mommy had saved him, and his Mama cared for him too. So this is what a family was like... He enjoyed it, and he loved his mama and mommy.

Feng set down four plates of bacon, eggs and hash browns, smiling brightly. "Breakfast is up!" She chirped before taking her seat, nodding to acknowledge everyone's thanks. The group ate their breakfast in good spirits, and Beatrix really had to note just how much better it was eating with others than alone with Peter and Hazel. Talking in between bites was...gratifying. She enjoyed hearing the others talk about their days and she liked throwing in her own two cents.

Harry didn't have too much to say, he just liked being with his family. "So what exactly do you have planned for today?" Beatrix finally asked.

"Oh. Uh... well, I was..." Cerebella began.

"You have no idea, do you?" Beatrix asked flatly with a smirk.

"That obvious?"

Beatrix chuckled softly. "Well, lucky for you, I planned for this. I packed up a picnic basket last night, so I can just go on over and get it."

"A picnic, huh? Good idea! You guys should take some stuff from the fridge, too... We have WAY too many leftovers." Feng offered. Cerebella grinned.

"Awesome! Thanks, Feng."

"Thank you, Auntie Feng!" Harry said, looking up at Feng, who grinned and patted his head.

"Daw... you're so sweet." She cooed, making Harry blush. Beatrix smiled at the interaction. Harry really seemed to care for all of them. He was too sweet for his own good.

After breakfast, Beatrix went to collect the picnic basket while Harry and Cerebella gathered up the leftovers in the fridge, making sure to leave some cake for Feng at her insistence. Harry and Cerebella waited outside Beatrix's door for her to come out, and when she did, Cerebella's eyes widened. "Wow... That's a big basket of food."

"Well, you eat a lot." Beatirx shrugged.

"Hey!"

"What? I don't mean that as a bad thing." Beatrix blinked before smiling and playfully poking Harry's tummy. "Besides, my little man's still a bit too skinny..."

Harry giggled softly while Cerebella was still grumpy at her girlfriend's words. "Tch... Calling me fat..." She grumbled. Beatrix chuckled softly.

"Oh, only in the right places." The magician replied with a smirk that was teasing in more ways than one. Cerebella caught on and blushed atomic red.

"Wow... Uh... Thank you, I guess..." She mumbled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. Beatrix just kissed her in response.

Harry giggled at their interaction and the two women smiled down at him. "There's that sweet little laugh." Cerebella cooed. Kissing Harry on the forehead.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get going." Beatrix smiled at the two.

"I know the perfect place to have our picnic!" Cerebella said with a grin. "You're gonna love it!" Beatrix smirked at her knowingly, amusement twinkling in her eyes.

"It's the city park, isn't it?" Cerebella looked at her with a sheepish expression and chuckled softly. "Quite predictable, but also a great idea. The tables will work nicely."

"Yeah, we could take a table by the duck pond! It's nice to watch the ducks while you enjoy some good food, y'know?" Cerebella said excitedly.

"Sure." Beatrix smiled. She liked seeing Cerebella this happy, there was something... not childish, but something loveable about it. Harry seemed to agree, thinking it was a little bit funny.

The three arrived and sat down at the table, looking out over the cool blue lake. It was picturesque.

The ducks floated about, their quacks filling the air. Harry seemed to really love looking at the aquatic birds, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by his mothers.

"Heh... Like watching the ducks swim around, Harry?" Beatrix asked in amusement. Harry nodded his head slowly, mesmerized by the birds.

"They're so pretty... Especially the ones with the green heads..." He said softly. Cerebella grinned and kissed his head.

"Makes sense. He does really love his rubber ducky."

None of them noticed that a duck had wandered up to their table... and had stolen some of the food they had put out. "Wha- HEY!" Beatrix exclaimed in surprise as she saw the duck waddling off with it's wings spread wide. Harry just laughed at the sight. Cerebella grinned but was a little annoyed as well, but she didn't have the heart to tell Harry that.

"Well, it's just one sandwich, no big deal, we have plenty of others." Cerebella said with a smile, clapping an arm on the seething magician's shoulder.

Beatrix huffed. "It's not the sandwich, it's the principal of the matter. I made this picnic for us, not some pesky ducks." She said crossly.

"Well, I brought a bag of bread crumbs. Maybe we can feed the ducks that and they'll leave us alone." Cerebella offered, holding up the bag in question.

"Sure, let's do that after we eat." The magician grumbled. Cerebella laughed. Beatrix sighed in defeat and nodded. The two sat back down at the table and heard Harry laughing. Beatrix felt a bit embarrassed... but also felt justified in her outburst. This was for their family... Not the ducks.

The ducks were eating the sandwich remains in the water, and the sight made her scowl slightly. "Aw, don't hold a grudge against the ducks, Trixie, that's not healthy." Cerebella said jokingly.

"Yeah, mama, the duckies need to eat too." Harry agreed. Beatrix exhaled through her nose and patted her boy's head gently, allowing a small smile to form.

"All right, all right, let's just eat." The family of three began their picnic, and Beatrix was happy to admit that she was having a wonderful time.

She and Cerebella took turns every now and then feeding Harry, who seemed happy to let his mothers feed him. He loved seeing them so happy. They enjoyed there time together, there was a feeling of sincerity and acceptance, as if this was real now. They were a family. Cerebella loved it, feeling joy that not only did the little boy she loved with all her heart have a full family, but the woman she loved was returning her feelings.

After lunch was finished, they decided to take Cerebella up on her suggestion from earlier and feed bread crumbs to the ducks. Harry put some in his hand and held it out. A small duckling quacked and waddled its way over to Harry, intrigued at the promise of food. The baby bird began to gently take the crumbs from the boy's hand.

Harry seemed mesmerized by the tiny animal, and his parents thought it was adorable. A few moments later, a few more duckings wandered over, curious as to what was going on, and noticed the food and they too wanted some food. Beatrix didn't notice the duck from earlier wander up until it proceeded to take all the bread chunks she had. "Wh...hey!"

She glared after the waddling duck, who turned back and quacked several times. She interpreted it in a way that made her feel very grouchy indeed. "He laughed at me! That smug little waterfowl laughed at me! You saw that, didn't you?!" The magician exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at the duck. Much to her dismay, Cerebella laughed softly into her hand.

"I...I can't..." Cerebella laughed. "I'm sorry... just..." Cerebella kept laughing into her hand, and Beatrix sighed in annoyance, watching the duck waddle off into the distance in defiance and victory. She looked back flatly but smiled when she saw Harry still feeding the ducklings and even a few bigger ducks. He didn't seem afraid, he seemed to be enjoying himself greatly.

Some of the ducks even gave him a gentle, friendly nip, which got a giggle out of him. After the bread was gone, most of the ducks waddled off, but some of them decided to stick around, waddling about at the family's feet. Harry thought they wanted to be friends, and Beatrix just didn't have the heart to tell him they were most likely just hoping for some more food.

She wasn't paying attention to Harry as she watched the ducklings walking around, and when she looked up, she saw Harry petting the duck that was giving her so much stress. Harry seemed happy, and Beatrix swore the duck had a smug 'What are you gonna do?' look on it's face. She gave it a death glare, which only seemed to amuse the duck.

Cerebella was just highly amused at the situation. "Geez, Trixie, you really have it out for that duck, don'tcha?" Beatrix just huffed and stuck her nose in the air.

"He's a dirty thief and I won' forgive him without some sort of compensation." Harry's delighted giggles sounded out, and Cerebella smirked.

"He's making Harry laugh. That compensation enough for ya?" Beatrix's face softened slightly. Harry's laugh WAS extremely adorable...

Eventually, the larger duck decided to go irritate someone else and waddled off. Cerebella picked up Harry and sat him on her lap, gently laughing at his giggles. "Daw... your laugh is so sweet." She cooed.

Harry smiled at his mommy, feeling extremely happy about his circumstances. He loved being with family... It was the greatest thing ever for him... "Duckies are nice. I like them." Harry said softly. Beatrix's annoyed expression softened.

"Well, I suppose someone has to."

The three decided to just enjoy the nice day, sitting together, enjoying one another's company. Cerebella finally relinquished Harry over to Beatrix, who gave her son a happy squeeze and kissed his head.

Harry cooed and snuggled into his mother's arms, closing his eyes contently as he rested his head on her shoulder, smiling from ear to ear. Beatrix beamed down at him and rubbed his back gently, then noticed the sound of soft snoring and smiled. "Guess it's his naptime... Let's just hang here for a bit so he can sleep. Then we can move on with our day."

"Sure." Cerebella nodded, smiling down at her sleeping son. He seemed so happy, so peaceful. It was great to see after all he had been through... It made her happy to see him enjoying himself, it felt like he was back to being a little boy again, at least in some regard.

The two women sat back and admired the pond of ducks, smiling in content. They turned to look at each other, both smiling from ear to ear. "These outings are nice... Let's try and make them a regular thing, okay?" Beatrix said.

"Yeah... I'd like that... I'd love to build some fun memories..." Cerebella replied softly. "I think he'd like it too." She smiled down at her sleeping son, snuggled in her lap.

"Heh, I think so too." Beatrix nodded, gently rubbing his head. Harry cooed softly in response, making Beatrix giggle. "Such a cutie..."

The magician gently rubbed his back, smiling softly at the little boy in her arms. The two women sat there in a comfortable silence for a little while. Cerebella leaned over and rested her head atop Beatrix's, causing the magician to blush slightly at the close proximity, though her smile remained. "...Cerebella? When's Harry's birthday?"

Cerebella began to reply, then blinked. "I... I have no idea." She finally admitted. "I was so busy taking care of him and trying to get him to trust me I guess I never asked."

"And I doubt he'd tell you, it probably never meant anything good for him." Beatrix sighed.

"Yeah..."

She looked down at the boy with a small frown, trying to remember. "I think I did see it... somewhere before... Oh... Oh that's right..." Her voice trailed off.

"Cerebella?" Beatrix asked, concerned.

"The worst picture in that damn album... It was... It was how they 'celebrated' Harry's birthday... There was a little note written on the damn picture... It said... July 31st... The freak's birthday..."

Beatirx exhaled angrily but managed to contain herself. "Alright. Wait. That's not too long from now! That's... a week form tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah! It is!" Cerebella said in surprise.

The two women exchanged a grin. "We'll have to make sure we do something for the little guy." Beatrix remarked.

"Too right. We should throw a party for him!" Cerebella exclaimed. Beatrix smiled and nodded her head.

"Dibs on cooking his birthday dinner. Feng can do the cake." The magician said.

"You're gonna have to talk with her about that." Cerebella smirked.

"I don't care, she can fight me, I'm doing it." Beatrix replied matter-of-factly.

"Well, good luck." Cerebella laughed.

"Ah, she already gets to cook for him every day anyway. It's only fair that she should let his mom cook for him on his big day, don'tcha think?"

Cerebella chuckled and nodded her head. "Yeah, you make a good point there. Oh, hey, he's waking up now." Harry stirred in Beatrix's arms.

"Mmm... Mama...?" The little boy mumbled sleepily.

"Hey hon." Beatrix smiled, adjusting her son in her arms. "Did you have a good nap?"

"Mmhmm..." Harry yawned, still waking up. Beatrix smiled and kissed his head.

"I'm happy to hear that sweetie." She cooed softly, playfully bouncing her son in her arms.

Cerebella watched the two interact with a smile before looking thoughtful. "So, what do you guys wanna do now that we've finished up with the picnic?"

Beatrix tilted her head, then looked thoughtful. "Huh... Well... We could take Harry over to the playground for a bit."

"Alright." Beatrix nodded, standing up and holding Harry close. Harry smiled up at Beatirx, enjoying her embrace. The three packed up and made their way over to the playground that was nearby. Thankfully, it was empty. It was perfect in a way, just the three of them.

They carried Harry over to the swingset and set him down, Cerebella giving him a gentle push. He winced slightly as the sudden movement gave his tummy a weird feeling... But that feeling quickly went away and was replaced with a feeling of wonder and magic as the swing moved higher and higher. He smiled widely. It was as if he was flying! It was incredible! He loved the feeling of the breeze in his hair, the sight of the ground beneath him getting slowly closer only to get further again... It was fun!

Cerebella and Beatirx watched Harry's hesitation turn to curiosity, then to excitement. He seemed to be greatly enjoying himself as he swung back and forth. Beatrix watched to make sure he wasn't going to fall off, and thankfully, Cerebella didn't seem to be pushing too hard.

The two women smiled, happy to have made the boy so happy. His smile and laughter was truly infectious, and they found themselves giggling along with him. After an hour and a half, Cerebella decided to stop the swing, grabbing her son off and twirling him around before hugging him close to her breast. "Fun, huh?" She asked. Harry giggled and nodded. "All right, wanna check out the other stuff the playground's got? That slide looks fun, huh?"

"Okay, mama." Harry smiled up at Cerebella, who carried him over to the slide and set on him the top of the slide. Beatirx stood near the bottom to catch him. Cerebella gently pushed him forward, then took a step back as Harry slid down, laughing the whole way. Beatrix scooped him up and handed him back to Cerebella so she could send him down again.

The two women were truly amazed at just how much joy the little boy got out of the simplest, most mundane things. It was absolutely adorable... Eventually, they decided that they were finished with the playground, and went to take a walk around town, searching for a good way to spend time.

Harry was happily snuggled into Beatrix's arms as they walked through the small town. The two women saw the bowling alley where things had begun, and smiled to one another, remembering the memories. Harry seemed more curious than anything now as he looked at the two.

"Whattya say, Trixie? Go a few rounds of bowling?" Cerebella asked with a light smirk. Beatrix chuckled softly, and decided not to make it competitive.

"Sure. That would be nice." She replied, amused. The two women and their son entered the bowling alley and got themselves set up to play.

To Beatrix's annoyance, Cerebella took Harry when she wasn't looking, and she had a feeling she would have him on her side. Beatrix just scoffed with a slight laugh and rolled her eyes. "You really seem to think I'm gonna kidnap him." Beatrix smirked.

"No... I just like holding him. Also, he's on my team."

Beatrix huffed and stuck her nose up. "Well then I get him next time. But for now, I suppose I'll be willing to settle for having Vice-Versa on my side." Cerebella's living weapon hopped off her head and landed on the floor, hand-walking his way over to his teammate, who patted his head lightly, eliciting a content lean. "Huh... I never noticed it before, but Vice-Versa's kinda cute... He's like a low-maintenance pet in a way..." Beatrix mused.

"Yeah, he's really something special." Cerebella smiled. Beatrix and Vice were up first, and low and behold, Beatrix got a strike. "Hey, no magic." Cerebella said flatly.

"I'm not using magic, it's just skill." The magician rolled her eyes.

"She's right, mommy. I didn't feel her use any magic. Um... Are you sure we can win this? Mama and Vice are really good at bowling, y'know..."

Cerebella grinned. "Sure, Harry! We're gonna crush it!" She rolled her ball and it was very promptly crushed by a falling meteor.

Cerebella stared in confusion and disbelief, then looked to Beatirx, who seemed equally confused. Heck, even the three men who were playing next to them looked over in confusion.

"What..." Cerebella began.

"What just happened?" Beatrix asked.

"Dude..." One of the men blinked.

"Um... I think that was bad luck..." Harry said softly, rolling his ball and knocking down four pins. Cerebella shook off her shock and patted his head gently.

"Good job, hun... Good job..." She murmured gently, getting a bright, happy smile from the boy, who was delighted at the display of affection and wanted to do his mother proud.

Beatrix smiled at their interaction. If their skin and hair colour wasn't so drastically different, most people would probably have thought Harry was Cerebella's biological son. Still, adopted or not, the compassion Harry had for Cerebella and herself was adorable.

Yes... She was a very lucky woman indeed. Very lucky to have a loving, caring girlfriend and a little boy that readily accepted her as his mother... Chuckling, she rolled her ball, and it bowled over the pins in a perfect strike. Cerebella was visibly grumpy at that, and Beatrix clapped her shoulder gently.

"Hey. I'm just... good at this." She smirked.

"Or you're still using your magic." Cerebella rolled her eyes, having trouble accepting that.

"Sure, you keep believing that." Beatrix smirked.

"You are!" Cerebella huffed.

"Sure." Beatrix laughed.

"She really isn't though... If she was, I'd feel it..." Harry shyly insisted. "And... And I'd never lie to you, mommy..." Cerebella slumped slightly, but smiled at her son and picked him up.

"Yeah, I know... You're a good boy like that..." She said softly, nuzzling his cheek before kissing his head and setting him back down... just in time to see Vice-Versa roll a strike.

"Mommy? I don't think we're gonna win this game..." Harry said softly.

"Ugh... Well, I guess that's how it's going to be." Cerebella sighed. "But still, I have you, so I win in the end."

"What?" Harry asked, confused.

"Don't worry about it, hon." Cerebella smiled down at her son. "It's a joke between your mama and I."

She rolled her ball, and it curved back around and hit an employee with the nametag 'Stevie' directly in the face. "Ouch!" The man said with a large smile.

"Oh geez! Uh... Sorry, guy!" She called out, concerned. Stevie turned to her with two black eyes, a busted nose, a split lip and multiple missing teeth.

"I'm okay!" He said in a rather grating voice, not losing his smile. "People throw those at me on purpose all the time!" As if on cue, the owner of the building ran up and slammed a bowling ball directly into Stevie's face.

"DIE, STEVIE, DIE!"

Regardless, the last few frames went by, and... yeah, it was no contest. Beatrix and Vice-Versa won. Harry didn't seem to mind, though, he was just having fun. Cerebella was trying to hide her annoyance however.

She was visibly pouting, and Beatrix chuckled softly. "C'mon, Bella, it's only a game. Don't be a sore loser." She said before kissing her cheek. The display of affection cheered the greenette right up, and she kissed back, getting a chuckle from Beatrix. "All right, now... Where do we go from here?"

"Hmm... Oh wow. It's dinner time already? We've been out for quite a while now... Wanna go and get some food at a restaurant or something?"

"Sounds great." Beatrix smiled. "Hey hon? Where would you want to eat?"

"Oh uh... I... I just wanna be with you." Harry thought then finally answered.

"Aw... That's so sweet Harry." Beatrix grinned, kissing his head. "But where should we go, Cere?"

Cerebella looked thoughtful. "Well... Nothing overly fancy... Um... Why don't we just try the first place we come across?" Beatrix seemed content with this. They found themselves eating at a local burger joint. After ordering their food, the three family members got to a dinner conversation. "So, any plans for Harry's magic training?" Cerebella asked.

"Yes, I was thinking we'd work on the patronus charm." Beatrix replied. "Its purpose is to to create a spiritual familiar that can protect you."

"Familiar?" Cerebella asked with a raised brow.

"Oh, right. You wouldn't know." Beatrix shook her head, as if remembering something. "To put it simply, a familiar is a sort of ghost you summon based on something you care deeply for. It protects the castrr."

"Huh." Cerebella blinked, thinking it over. "What do you think Harry's would be?"

"Well, some users create a spirit animal, some have projection of a person. It varies."

Cerebella was now interested. "Wow... So every wizard has their own familiar?!" She asked excitedly. Beatrix shrugged her shoulders and nodded.

"Yeah, more or less. My familiar is a rabbit... Because for the longest time, my rabbits were the only thing I really cared about." Beatrix replied.

"Wow... I can't wait to see what Harry's looks like!" Cerebella exclaimed. Harry himself was interested as well. He wondered if his mothers would find their way into his Patronus...

Harry sat with Beatrix this time (much to Cerebella's annoyance, but Beatrix justified it as she had him during bowling, this was only fair). The waitress came by and took their orders, and Beatrix smiled down at Harry. "You having a good day?" She asked.

"Uh-huh! The ducks were really nice!" Harry replied, and Beatrix hid an internal scream.

"Uh-huh... Yep... Nice..." She muttered to herself. Their food trays arrived, each one containing a simple burger and fries. Beatrix reached for one of her fries... And something grabbed one of them. She looked over to see that same duck that was giving her trouble earlier. It quacked twice before running out the door and flying off with a bunch of her fries. "...There is no way." Beatrix said in pure disbelief.

Cerebella was desperately trying not to laugh at the situation. There was something kind of cute about Beatrix when she was angry, but Cerebella couldn't quite figure out what it was. She also couldn't believe that same duck had decided to follow them all the way here...

"Maybe he'll follow us back home." Cerebella laughed.

"I swear, if he does..." Beatirx seethed in annoyance.

"Heh... He'll be like a pet that comes and goes..." Cerebella chuckled softly. Harry smiled at the idea of it. Having a pet ducky would be cool, even if it only came to visit.

"Oh joy. Wouldn't that be nice." Beatrix drawled dryly before eating her remaining fries with an exasperated look on her face. Cerebella just laughed.

"Are you really gonna let a duck get the better of you?" She asked with a smirk.

"No. But I don't want to traumatize Harry..." Beatrix muttered, wanting now to destroy that duck... but knowing it would probably terrify and upset Harry. So she kind of had to accept it for now. But if she ever saw that duck, and she was alone...

No, no, she couldn't do that to Harry... Tempting as revenge was, she did not want to be responsible for Harry losing something he enjoyed. The right thing to do was to suck it up and just tolerate the waterfowl that was now drinking from her soda-wait, what?

Cerebella was laughing again, and Harry patted the ducks head as it turned and hurried back out honking obnoxiously. "You're gotta be kidding me..." She muttered. "Cere? Take Harry. I'll be back in a minute." Handing the tiny boy over to Cerebella, Beatrix stood and made her way outside.

Beatrix's girlfriend and son watched in confusion as Beatrix walked outside. The sound of a scuffle between woman and duck was heard... And then Beatrix walked back inside, covered in honey and feathers and looking ready to blow a gasket. "...That duck is way too clever for his own good."

"Mama? What happened?" Harry asked, somewhat confused.

"I..." Beatrix began, but saw the duck honking victoriously as it waddled away. "I can't explain it..."

"Well, looks like you're in no condition to hold Harry." Cerebella grinned. "Don't worry, I'll hug him for you." Beatrix huffed in annoyance, now beginning to wonder if that duck and Cerebella were working together to try and drive her insane. If so... it was working.

The group finished their food, and stepped out into the evening air. Beatrix smiled, admiring the nice summer night, before noticing something off with Cerebella. "What's the matter? Why so on edge?" She asked, concerned. Cerebella looked at her seriously.

"I'm worried we might get jumped and I won't be able to stop them from hurting Harry."

"Has... Has that happened?" Beatirx asked, a bit confused by the odd fear.

"Yeah, it did." Cerebella frowned. "Awhile ago, the two of us were coming to town. It was Harry's first time, and we got attacked by some gang." Beatirx stared, slack jawed in disbelief.

"Did... was he hurt?" She finally got out.

Cerebella shook her head. "No... A really big guy showed up and helped us. It was pretty freaking awesome, not gonna lie... He was like... made of musical instruments."

Beatrix sighed in relief. "So... What did those creeps want, anyway? Just your money?" Cerebella scowled.

"They wanted to have their way with me, and they held Harry hostage to get me to go with it... If that guy hadn't shown up..."

"That guy?" Beatrix asked.

"He was named Big Band, he was this giant of a man. Beat the living crap out of them, then checked up on us..."

"Thank God he was there... Or I might have spent the past few weeks hunting those bastards down..." Beatrix growled.

"Yeah... he gave me his number..." Cerebella mused.

"Heh, I thought you only had eyes for me." Beatrix smirked.

Cerebella chuckled and shook her head. "Not like that, Trixie. It was more of an...emergency number. In case I needed his help with something."

"And you're positive you trust this guy?" Beatrix asked a bit sternly. Cerebella frowned and nodded her head seriously.

"He's a good guy... I can tell. And he gave me some really good advice..."

"Which was?"

"To know who I could trust, and who I could rely on." She smiled at the magician, then added: "That kind of helped me warm up to you training Harry a bit... and that led to this." Beatrix let a small smile form on her face. Cerebella sometimes was as innocent as Harry...

Still, she kind of wished she completely took this man's advice to heart... If she had, perhaps she would come to understand that Vitale was no good for her... Well... There would be plenty of time to discuss that with her later... She would have to be very careful about getting her away from Vitale though... She... didn't want to lose what she had gained... If she lost Cerebella, she would be right back at square one... She would just be the cranky, miserable bitch again...

If Cerebella was pissed at her, that was one thing. The two had hated each other for awhile, and while it'd hurt losing the ground she had gained, and the relationship they had forged, she figured she'd get over it eventually. But losing Harry? That made her nervous. Losing her son, the little boy she had been training, send things back to square one with him, with him terrified of her... She didn't want that.

Cerebella noticed her demeanour change, and she put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a concerned look. "Hey... What's the matter?" She asked. Beatrix hesitated for several seconds, not sure how to explain it to her. She never was any good at expressing her emotions, and she was just now getting used to it.

"...I'm...worried." She finally admitted. "I'm scared that I'm gonna say or do something to ruin this whole thing... And... I don't wanna lose you two..."

Cerebella was taken aback. She smiled and leaned forward and kissed Beatrix's cheek. "Hey, don't worry. You're not gonna lose us." She said softly. Beatrix looked down, then smiled at Cerebella.

"Thanks." She sighed. "I'm... I'm still new to all this."

"Yeah? Well... Me too." Beatrix looked over at her surprised. "Yeah, you're my first lover... I've... never even been on a date until I met you..."

Beatrix was shocked to hear this. "Seriously...? Never...? But... That doesn't make any sense...! You're so... unfairly beautiful! How did no one ever ask you out?!"

"I mean... I guess I never really thought about it." Cerebella frowned. "I was so busy with the show, and then... I dunno. There were some people I was interested in, but time moved on, people moved, and I forgot about it."

"Well, that's a reason." Beatrix remarked.

Cerebella chuckled and nodded her head. "Heh... Guess it's for the best that my girlfriend's a co-worker... That way, you're always by my side."

Beatrix blushed slightly as Cerebella wrapped an arm around her, but smiled despite her bashfulness. "Heh... Yeah... Always with you..." She said softly.

"So, Harry, how're you..." Cerebella looked down at the boy in her arms and smiled softly when she found he was fast asleep. "Heh... He's so damn cute..."

"He is, isn't he?" Beatrix cooed, gently pinching Harry's cheek lovingly. Harry cooed softly and squirmed for a moment, then nuzzled back into Cerebella's arms. "Weird question, has he said anything about his birth parents?" Cerebella looked confused.

"His... what?"

"Not the ones who hurt him. His actual parents, has he said much about them?"

"They died with he was a baby."

"Oh..." Beatrix said softly. "I...I see... So then he never got the chance to know them...?" Cerebella nodded her head sadly, and Beatrix sighed. "Cerebella...?" Cerebella looked over at Beatrix. "Do you have any stories with your parents...?" She asked tentatively, not wanting to be pushy.

Cerebella sighed. "Not really... My mom wasn't really abusive or anything... She just sorta went to work a lot, left me slone each time, and then she died and I ended up on the streets..."

"Wow... I... I had no idea." Beatrix said quietly. "I'm sorry..."

"It's... it's not your fault." Cerebells shook her head, looking away slightly. "She wasn't mean or anything, but that didn't mean I had much of a connection with her. I kinda wish I did though."

The magician looked down at Harry and sighed softly, stroking his head gently. "I guess we've all got family problems..." She said sadly. Cerebella gently grabbed her hand.

"Yeah... But we have a new family now. We're all gonna help each other through these issues... And everything is gonna turn out okay in the end." The acrobat said softly. Beatrix smiled at her lover, then leaned over and kissed her.

The two heard Harry giggle, and smiled down at the tiny boy looking up at them happily. He seemed to have just woken up and seemed to be looking at them adoringly. The two smiled at one another, then Cerebella slowly handed Harry over to Beatrix, who happily took him.

She cuddled him close, smiling as he snuggled up and rested his head on her shoulder. "Mama..." He said softly, closing his eyes in content.

Beatrix teared up slightly, smiling warmly at her child. "Yep... Mama..." She replied simply, rubbing his back and resting her chin atop his tiny head. Cerebella beamed at the sight, happy to see just how much Beatrix loved Harry. It was abundantly clear to her that she had made the right choice in falling for her.

Eventually the two had returned to their home, and Beatrix came back with Cerebella to her home. "Hey, today was great." Cerebella smiled. "I really enjoyed it, and so did Harry." Beatrix looked down at the happy boy who nodded in agreement. She smiled herself and kissed his tiny head.

"Well, I enjoyed it too." She replied. "Even if that cursed duck wouldn't leave me alone..."

She then felt something land on her head and tensed up. "What...Don't freaking tell me..." She groaned in annoyance.

"QUACK!"

"It followed us back. It actually followed us back. Oh my god, I'm being stalked by a duck." Beatrix griped.

Feng (who had been reading) cast a glance out the door and saw the duck walking around in front of their door. "Uh... did we get another pet?" She finally asked.

"No! Do NOT let that thing in!" Beatrix exclaimed.

The duck rushed inside and waddled his way up to Feng. He looked up at her with a quack, then flapped up onto her lap and nestled down, looking up at her. Feng giggled and scratched under the bird's neck, getting it to relax into the touch. "Aww, he's kinda cute..." She cooed. "And I don't have a real pet, soooo..."

"NO." Beatrix said, with genuine anger in her voice.

"Too bad. If he wants to stay, he's staying." Feng smirked.

"Feng I swear I will kill that bird and make you eat it if you try and keep it as a pet... I am not joking with you."

"You'd really do that? You'd traumatize Harry like that?" Feng replied, knowing she was going to win this debate.

Harry looked up at his mama with puppy dog eyes. "Please don't make auntie Feng get rid of her new ducky, mama. She needs a pet too."

"What about those birds on her head?! Don't they count?!" Beatrix protested in a rather whiny tone of voice. Cerebella shook her head at that.

"Nope. Cute as they are, the little guys are pretty much just a glorified decoration. I tried to hold one of them. It didn't even react when I took it from Feng."

"...Ugh..." Beatrix groaned.

"Even if you say no, I'm keeping him." Feng said, patting the duck's head.

"I don't even care anymore." Beatirx finally said, shaking her head and walking away. She handed Harry back to Cerebella and left to get a drink.

"Are you seriously going to keep it?" Cerebella asked.

Feng smiled and hugged the duck, who leaned in with what appeared to be a smile. "Yeah... I'd like to have a pet too. You got Kitty, Beatrix has her rabbits... What's the harm in me having a duck?"

"Heh... Well, Harry's friends with him too, so it works out nicely. You'll just have to look into what ducks need to eat... And if he'll be cool to hang out in the bathtub if he wants to swim..."

It sounded like Beatrix was banging her head against a wall in another room, but no one went to check. "Hey so... I need to talk to you about something." Cerebella said, looking too Feng. She motioned for her to follow her, setting Harry down. Feng seemed confused, but followed her into another room.

"Is everything okay?" Feng asked, concerned.

"Yeah. It's just, Harry's birthday is soon. I wanted you to know."

Feng's concerned from quickly morphed into a huge, beaming grin. "Oooh, that's amazing! What are we gonna do for it?!" She squeed quietly.

Cerebella chuckled and patted her back. "Nothing too major... Probably just a little get together with family... But Feng... Harry's birthday... That was the day his relatives beat him the worst..."

Feng blinked, realizing what Cerebella was getting at. "The poor baby..." She muttered sadly.

"Look, I don't think Harry would want to do something massive, but I just wanted to let you know about it. I think Beatrix was going to make the dessert for him."

Feng huffed in disappointment, snapping her fingers. "Actually, Cerebella, my plan was to make his birthday dinner. Feng can do the dessert." Beatrix walked in sporting a large bruise on her forehead.

"Okay, Beatrix, you really shouldn't let that duck get to you so much." Cerebella said flatly. Beatrix snorted and crossed her arms over her bust.

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one losing your food to that little bastard..." She grumbled, looking into the living room to see Harry playing with Kitty and the duck.

"I swear. That duck isn't... A duck. Something is controlling it. Someone wants me to suffer." She scowled.

"You? No..." Feng said in a mocking tone. "Who would EVER want you to suffer? Who have you EVER hurt?"

"I'm about to hurt you." Beatrix replied coldly. "And I won't hesitate either."

Cerebella put a hand on Beatrix's shoulder and gave her a stern look. "Hey. Take it easy there, Beatrix. I get you're mad, but you can't threaten people like that." Beatrix exhaled through her nose and crossed her arms, saying nothing and just seething quietly. The duck was being hugged by Harry, and she swore those beady little eyes were mocking her.

"Fine. Whatever..." She muttered. "I wanted to ask, what food does Harry like? Has he said anything in particular?"

"No. He's eaten whatever we've given him." Cerebella frowned. "I think he's happy enough to get food in the first place that he isn't questioning what it is."

"Right." Beatrix sighed, remembering what she had seen in Harry's mind.

Her annoyed gaze softened as she looked at how happy the little boy was, and she exhaled through her nose. "I'll think of something good for his big day."

Cerebella smiled, then frowned a bit. "Man... I wish I didn't suck so much at cooking... How can I help make his birthday memorable...?"

"Honestly I think just keep doing what you've been doing." Beatrix shrugged. "You've really made the kid happy. I think it's safe to assume he's going to be rather apprehensive about celebrating his birthday, so if you show him that he doesn't need to be scared, I think that's the best thing to do."

Cerebella smiled at her girlfriend. "Think we should invite Regina and Hubrecht?" She asked. Beatrix shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

"Sure, I don't see why not... Huh... Y'know, I just realized that they don't know we're dating just yet... We should tell them at work tomorrow."

Cerebella grinned widely. "Good idea! Heh... Maybe Talliesin's inevitable nosebleed will be severe enough to put him in the hospital for a few days..."

"I hadn't thought of that..." Beatirx muttered. "Ugh... why can't he just get knocked down and stay down?"

"Hey, maybe he's like you." Feng shrugged, earning looks of 'Excuse me, what?' "Maybe he's had a troubled past and no one to talk with, and he turned his confusion and anger inwards, and it screwed him up and..." Feng trailed off as a huge grin formed on her face and she began laughing. "I'm sorry... I can't... I can't say that with a straight face..." She laughed.

The other two girls snickered as well. "Talliesin... Having depths... That's the funniest thing I've heard in all my life..." Beatrix snickered in glee.

"Heh... Yeah... The closest thing that guy has to a tragic backstory is that he probably got beat up a few times for peeping into girls' locker rooms." Cerebella snickered.

"Yeah, but seriously... yeah..." Feng shook her head. "I hope things go well for you two."

"Thanks, Feng." Cerebella smiled at their friend.

"And hey, you'll always have me, and the duck."

Beatrix's smile faded, and she grimaced in annoyance. "Don't wreck the moment with your jerk of a pet..." The magician grumbled. Feng snickered.

"Well, you guys are pretty even now. Feng has something she can lord over you the same way you used to lord stuff over her." Cerebella remarked.

"What, the bake-off incident wasn't enough?" Beatrix retorted with a huff.

"I guess." Feng shrugged. "I'm still keeping the duck though."

"I hate you." Beatirx said flatly.

"Good, not much has changed then." Feng replied.

"Okay then..." Cerebella sighed. "So... what do you guys have planned for Harry?"

"Well, I'm gonna bake the cake for sure." Feng commented. "Y'know, since I won the bakeoff and am therefore the superior baker." Beatrix huffed indignantly.

"Real cheeky, Feng... Real cheeky..." She muttered. "Well, I know I'm making his dinner... But we got a week to iron out all the details."

"True." Cerebella nodded, then cast a glance over Beatirx's shoulder to make sure Harry was still okay. He was still sitting with the duck and kitty, enjoying their company. It was honestly kind of adorable... Cerebella smiled at him before turning back to the others.

"So Feng, what're you gonna name your new pet?" Cerebella asked in a curious manner. Feng blinked, then looked thoughtful, trying to figure it out.

"Hmm... Well... For some reason, I kinda like the sound of Donald... Yeah... Donald the Duck. That's what I'm gonna call him." She decided.

"Heh. Why don't you tell Harry?" Cerebella smirked. Feng nodded and headed back out to the main room to play with her pet. Cerebella turned to Beatrix. "Hey... so... about tomorrow..." She said nervously.

"Whatever happens, happens." Beatrix said matter-of-factly. "Do you love me?"

"Yes."

"Then that's all that matters to me." Beatrix smiled. "Well, you and Harry."

The two women smiled at each other, then pulled each other into a kiss. The kiss lasted a bit longer than it did usually, and they pulled away and embraced one another tightly. "...You really are beautiful." Cerebella said softly to the magician, pressing her forehead against hers. "You're the most beautiful girl I've ever met. Don't ever tell yourself otherwise..."

"Same to you." Beatrix replied softly. "I didn't know what I was missing for so long, and you showed it to me. Thank you." Cerebella smiled and kissed Beatrix again. She was right... Cerebella had been miaowing something... and Beatrix helped her figure out what it was.

The two broke the kiss and just embraced each other, resting their chins on each other's shoulders. Feng looked over and grinned mischievously. "You two need a room?" The acrobat called out with a toothy grin, getting a blush from her best friend, who opened her mouth to retort, only for Beatrix to beat her to the punch.

"I think that's a great idea. C'mon, Cerebella, we'll go use my room." She grabbed the blushing greenette by the arm and pulled her out the door.

Feng blinked in surprise, then shook her head and laughed. She walked back out to the main room and picked up Harry. She didn't care what they did, as long as she got to be with Harry. "Hi Hon." She smiled. "You wanna make some desert with me?"

"Okay!" Harry said with wide eyes.

She carried him into the kitchen and decided to make a simple yet exciting dessert with him... A mixture of chocolate and vanilla pudding with peanuts crumbled in. As soon as the pudding was done, Beatrix and Cerebella came back in. Their faces were red, they looked rather flushed, their hair was a mess... Yet they looked happy as could be.

"Mommy? Mama?" Harry asked, confused. "What happened?"

"Uh..."

"Um..."

The two looked to one another, then looked back to Harry. Unsure of what to say. "We'll tell you when you're older, sweetie." Beatrix finally said.

Harry blinked in confusion, but nodded his head and decided not to pry. Feng, on ths other hand, was snickering into her hand with an impish grin. "Well, ladies, you two have had your fun, but now why don'tcha have some dessert? Harry and I made this really nice little pudding. Come have some."

The two sat down with Feng and Harry, finally catching their breath and eating the dessert. "Wow, this is really good." Beatrix remarked. "Like, really good."

"Thanks." Feng smiled. "But I can't take all the credit, Harry helped a fair amount."

"But you were the one who was in charge Auntie Feng." Harry said, almost protesting in a sense.

"Yes, but the nuts were all your idea, remember." Feng said with a smile and a wink. Harry nodded his head in affirmation, acknowledging his part.

"I know, but you were the one who made the actual pudding. You did more than me, auntie Feng." He insisted. "But... I'm glad I could help make it better..."

"Oh, you really did." Feng said with a smile. "Honestly, Harry, I think you have the makings of a great little chef later on in life! We need to really work with you on this."

"Oh... okay." Harry blinked. "Um, how?"

"Well..." Feng began, but trailed off. "Y'know what? I'll get back to you on that hon." She smiled, taking another bite of the pudding. "Hey, just saying... maybe try and keep the noise down next time."

"Wait. You think anyone heard that?!" Cerebella suddenly asked, eyes widening.

Feng laughed aloud. "Kidding! I'm kidding! You were in Beatrix's house, how could I have possibly heard you?!" Harry tilted his head in confusion.

"I really don't get it..." He said softly. Beatrix and Cerebella both gave Feng a warning glare to send a very clear message... They were not at all ready to give Harry the talk.

"We're gonna keep it that way for a good, long while, hun." Cerebella said softly. "It's uh... grown-up stuff. Nothing important for you to worry about."

Harry nodded, seemingly understanding, and went back to his pudding. Feng felt two death glares boring into her, and she didn't need to look up to know who was giving them to her and why. She chuckled sheepishly and continued looking away. When they had finished dessert, Harry found himself being hugged between Beatrix and Cerebella.

The two women held their child close and gazed into one another's eyes. "Hey... Beatrix... Wanna sleep here for the night...?" Cerebella asked softly.

Beatrix's face turned red, and she smiled bashfully. "Um... Well... I'd like to, but... I have to take care of Peter and Hazel... They get antsy if I'm not there..."

"Bring 'em here then! They got along with Kitty from what I've heard, and I don't think Donald will bug them or anything. Honestly? The more, the merrier."

Beatrix cast a quick glance at the duck, clearly thinking 'I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you'. But when she saw Harry's hopeful face, she knew she couldn't say no. "Alright, alright." She admitted, with a nod. "I'll bring them over."

She stepped outside with a sigh and made her way over to her house to pick up her pets. Cerebella smiled warmly and picked Harry up, holding him close.

"All right, our first night together as a family!" She cheered. Harry smiled at that. A family... He... had a full family... Two parents... An auntie... Pets... He was overjoyed.

A few minutes later, Beatrix arrived with a small pet carrier in hand. "Heh... Sorry, guys... Hazel always puts up a fuss when I try to put her in this thing..."

She set the carrier down and opened it. Hazel tore out like a maniac, looking around sporadicly, looking for something, ANYTHING she recognized. When she saw Harry the rabbit deemed to calm down and hopped over, remembering the tiny boy from when he stayed with Beatrix. "Hi Hazel." Harry said happily.

The little bunny ran up to him and hopped into his lap, curling up and relaxing slightly. Giggling, Harry gently petted her fur. She leaned into the touch happily. Peter, meanwhile, stepped out rather timidly, looking around at his new surroundings. Donald saw the rabbit and approached with a quack. Peter looked up at him with wide eyes. Flying up slightly, Donald landed on top of Peter and nestled down on him, as if trying to hatch an egg. Peter tensed up briefly before visibly relaxing, finding the feeling rather comforting.

"Aw... I didn't know Harry was so good with animals." Cerebella smiled, watching her son gently petting the small rabbit.

"I know." Beatrix nodded. "When he stayed with me, he had befriended them within minutes, and it took me months to do that. He really has a way with making them feel safe. It's honestly adorable."

"Well, even Regina admitted he seemed to be able to make the lions act like kittens." Feng added.

The three women smiled fondly at the little boy as he interacted with Hazel. By this point, Kitty had joined as well, and squirmed into Harry's lap next to chuckled before noticing Peter and Donald. "...Feng, why is your duck sitting on my rabbit?"

Feng looked over and snickered. "Because they're friends now."

Beatrix blinked, watching their weird interaction before finally shrugging slightly. "Well, alright then." She finally said, unsure of how to feel about this, but also decided against questioning it. That duck was trying to take everything from her... she would keep that duck at a blades length. If that duck tried to take Peter or Hazel... It wouldn't survive.

She saw the look on that duck's face. Smug as a duck could reasonably be... Man this little bastard was irritating... Peter seemed to sense her anger and gave her a weird look. Sighing and rubbing her temples, Beatrix walked over to the couch and took a seat next to Harry, gently putting her hand atop his head and rubbing his hair.

Harry let out a happy coo and leaned into it. Beatrix smiled and playfully messed with his hair some more. Harry giggled at the ticklish feeling, and Beatrix let a soft laugh escape. She loved hearing his tiny laugh, it was such a precious voice. It made her so happy that she was able to make him laugh.

Chuckling, Cerebella joined them, taking a seat on the couch on the other side of Harry. "All right, this'll be great. Our first night together as a family."

"Yes... That is a rather nice idea..." Beatrix agreed softly. "...But if you start snoring, I'm gonna put an actual cork in your mouth."

"Mommy doesn't snore." Harry assured her. "She moves a lot though..."

"Heh. I'll take your word for it." Beatrix smiled down at Harry. Even before they had become friends, she would admit she found Harry's want to protect Cerebella adorable. Something about someone so small trying to defend someone so strong... heh, it was just cute.

Cerebella, on the other hand, looked rather embarrassed and displeased with herself. "Uh... I...really move around a lot...?" She asked softly.

Harry nodded his head. "Yeah... You roll around and change the side you're laying on..."

"Oh... Um... I don't bug ya while you're sleeping, do I...?"

"No." Harry shook his head. It was hard to tell if he was lying or not, but Cerebella didn't care. Smiling, she picked up her son and held him close.

"Well, you just let me know if I ever start bugging you." She remarked with a grin.

Smiling, Harry nuzzled into his mother's embrace. Beatrix chuckled softly as Hazel and Kitty, now that Harry was occupied with his mother, focused on her. She took the rabbit and kitten into her lap and petted them absentmindedly as she watched her girlfriend interact with their child. She hoped she could turn out to be half the mom Cerebella was.

It didn't take long for Harry to grow sleepy, and the two decided to put him to bed. It was still relatively early in the night, so they'd be up for a bit, but Harry needed his sleep. Once he was tucked in under the blankets, the two turned to each other. "Well, I hope he has a good night's sleep." Beatrix remarked.

Cerebella chuckled softly and rubbed the back of her head. "Ah, don't worry... He says he always has a good sleep in my bed... Heh..."

Beatrix smiled softly at the sleeping boy before looking thoughtful. "Cerebella... Do you have any plans for getting him his own room?"

Cerebella frowned, then answered. "I've thought about it." She remarked. "But... whenever I let him sleep on his own, he had terrible nightmares again. When he's older he'll probably have his own room, but I don't want him to think I don't care about his fears."

Beatrix nodded with a soft hum. "Right... That makes sense... So just sleeping in your bed keeps the nightmares away or something?" She asked.

"Pretty much." Cerebella replied with a shrug. "Heh... He said the bed reminds him so much of me that it makes him feel comfortable and safe..."

Beatrix was going to make a snarky remark, but when she looked down, she saw that indeed, Harry seemed much happier in Cerebella's bed. He was snuggled under the blankets with a soft smile on his face. He seemed so content, and so safe... Beatrix realized Cerebella was right. "Heh, I think you're right." She admitted. "When he stayed with me, he really seemed happier when he slept with me."

Cerebella chuckled softly. "Heh... Well... I guess this... what we have between us now, I mean... was meant to be from the start... If Harry was already that close to ya..."

"Hmm... He really is a sweet little thing... Holding him for the first time, the night he had that nightmare... It was..." She sighed softly. "It changed my entire outlook on life..."

"Well, he seems to have that effect on people." Cerebella smiled. "It really seems like most of the people who he meets are just... happier when he's around."

"Well, hopefully everyone." Beatrix muttered. While Cerebella figured she was talking about Harry's old family, Beatrix was more referring to the man who Cerebella considered a father, and who she couldn't tell didn't care for her the way she or Harry or Feng did.

How badly she wanted to make Vitale's indifference towards her clear, but... She loved Cerebella... She really, truly loved her... She wanted to stay with her... Were these feelings overblown? Perhaps so... But hey, that was the honeymoon phase for you. She just prayed her inaction wouldn't become something she'd wind up regretting...

"Well, now what?" Cerebella finally asked.

"I'm fine with making sure Harry sleeps safely." Beatrix smiled, gently sitting down on one side of the bed. Cerebella grinned widely and sat on the opposite side. The two women gently placed a hand each on Harry lovingly, making sure he knew he was safe. The tiny boy cooed softly in his sleep, clearly happy with the gesture.

Smiling, both women leaned over for a kiss, pulling away with a small blush. "Heh... So this is gonna be our first time sleeping in the same bed, huh?" Beatrix chuckled.

"Well... In one way, yes, in another, no..." Cerebella replied rather bashfully. Beatrix smirked in response and winked at her.

"We'll have round two soon enough." Cerebella blushed. "Still, I can't believe Feng kept that damn duck as a pet..." Beatrix growled slightly.

"Oh, c'mon. It's just a duck." Cerebella smiled at her. "It's not that bad."

"That's not a duck, that thing is pure evil." Beatrix insisted. "That thing isn't a normal duck, it's some sort of unholy creature."

"Geez, I had no idea you hated ducks that much..."

"He ate my sandwich!" Beatrix responded, before becoming aware of just how petulant that sounded. It was certainly not lost on Cerebella, who gave her an amused grin.

"Oh dear. What a monster. I wonder what other unspeakable horrors that duck will commit? What if he treks a little bit of water on the floor? How inconvenient!"

"Hey, I'll have you know it was a good sandwich."

"I'm not denying that, but I'll be honest with you B. You should be careful with your hatred of that duck, people might think you're more insane than usual." Cerebella laughed.

"It's justified and that duck is going to get what it- I'm sorry, what was that last part?" Beatrix began, eye twitching but suddenly snapped back to reality. "You think I'm crazy?"

"We're all crazy, Beatrix. That's why we work in a circus." Cerebella said rather cheekily. Beatrix gave off a slightly annoyed huff and pouted.

"I... I do NOT look crazy... Do I...?" Cerebella snickered and grinned at her. "...This is about that one time with the peanuts and the turtles, isn't it?"

"Yeah, when you get drunk, you REALLY get drunk." Cerebella replied.

"So do you!" Beatrix deflected, trying to defend herself.

"No... I don't." Cerebella smirked. "When I drink a lot, I get really mellow. It's weird..."

"According to who?!"

"Feng." Cerebella shrugged.

"And what makes you think she isn't just saying that to not hurt your feelings?" Beatrix asked, and Cerebella was left in silence, unsure of what to say.

"Well she did seem a bit grumpy after the last time I got drunk... Oh man... Am I an annoying drunk...?" Cerebella mused to herself. Beatrix smirked.

"Most likely. You're pretty damn boisterous when you're sober, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if those traits got amplified under the influence."

"Ugh... why?" Cerebella muttered. "Why did you lie to me Feng?"

"My guess is she was trying to protect you, or she just enjoyed how weird you got when you were wasted." Beatrix smirked. That answer didn't help Cerebella's mood, and Beatrix laughed slightly. "Oh c'mon. EVERYONE is weird when their drunk. Imagine what Harry would be like."

Cerebella blinked, then frowned at her girlfriend. "Okay... Under no circumstances should alcohol be within his grasp. We better keep it high up."

"Agreed. And explain to him to stay away from unfamiliar glasses of liquid, He may drink some alcohol thinking it's apple juice or something... Heh..."

"What's funny?" Cerebella asked.

"Well, he'd be a sweet little drunk..."

"Heh, yeah. He'd probably just get sleepy and wanna hug someone..." Cerebella admitted with a grin. "But still, we can't let him drink."

"Agreed." Beatrix nodded. "He's too sweet to let him become self-destructive."

"Is that even possible for him?" Cerebella asked. "Even recently he seems terrified of disappointing anyone, I don't think he could be self-destructive..."

Beatrix sighed softly. "Well, life has a funny way of sneaking up and making you hate it when you least expect it... Who knows what could happen when he's older?"

"Well then we're gonna have to make sure we're always there to show him the way..." Cerebella said softly, gently squeezing her son's hand.

"Well, let's just enjoy him while he's still a sweet little thing." Beatrix smiled, gently running a hand through her sleeping son's hair. The tiny boy continued to softly snore, clearly content with the love he was receiving.

The two women smiled as Kitty, Peter and Hazel ran into the room, hopping up onto the bed. Kitty carefully padded his way over to Harry and squirmed his way into his arms, careful not to wake him. Hazel curled up on his chest. And Peter laid down by the boy's side.

"Well, are you tired?" Beatrix asked.

"Not really, but I think we may as well turn in." Cerebella smiled. "Even if it's just so we can hold the little cutie." Beatrix nodded in reply and got into bed on one side of Harry, Cerebella getting into the other. The two women wrapped their arms around the tony boy and smiled contently.

They gazed into each other's eyes, and as they looked at each other, one thought ran through both of their heads... 'This is perfection, pure and simpls.'

"...I love you, Beatrix..." Cerebella whispered.

"I love you too, Cerebella..." The magician replied.

The happy family settled down for the night, enjoying the comfort that each other brought. They all drifted into a peaceful sleep. Harry for his part, didn't have any bad dreams that night, and was beginning to believe he may not have them any more with his mama and mommy by his side.


	13. Chapter 13

The week had gone by at such a brisk pace. Cerebella and Beatrix continued their outings with Harry whenever possible, and all was well. And now, it was the day.

Harry woke up one morning with a bad feeling in his stomach. He knew what day it was, and he knew what that usually brought with it. He didn't believe Cerebella would ever hurt him, but after so many years of abuse, doubts and paranoia tends to stick around, especially on a day as specific as this. Whimpering, he decided the best plan was to hide under the sheets.

However, his parents were not about to let him do that... The door slowly cracked open, and Beatrix and Cerebella looked inside sadly before walking in. "Harry...?" Cerebella said softly, sitting on the bed and gently putting her hand on the little lump under the blanket. "Harry... Did you know it's your birthday today...?"

"U-Uh-huh..." Harry whimpered.

His obvious fear genuinely took the hidden excitement the two women had down a little bit. They had figured he would be hesitant about celebrating his birthday, but he seemed just as scared as when Beatrix first began to teach him. "Aw..." Beatrix cooed softly. "Sweetie, can you come out? Please?" Harry remained under the blanket.

The two women exchanged a glance before Cerebella gently moved the blanket off of the boy. He winced slightly and looked up at his mothers. Their hearts broke when they saw his red, tear-stained eyes. "Aw, Harry... You were crying..." Cerebella said softly before picking him up gently and cuddling him close.

"M'sorry..." Harry mumbled. "I didn't mean to make you sad..."

"No, Harry, it's not you." Cerebella said softly. "I just feel bad that you're so terrified of your own birthday. Today's meant to be a special day."

"But... my mommy and daddy are dead..." Harry whimpered. Both women exchanged sad glances. Aside from the fear of his old family, his parents being dead was clearly something no one as tiny as him should've had to go through.

The two women set him down and laid with him, one on each side, wrapping an arm around him gently and giving him a sad smile. "Yeah... But they'd still want you to have a happy birthday..." Cerebella said softly..

"That's right... Kids like you are supposed to look forward to their birthday... It's supposed to be the highlight of the year for them... Yet you're so scared you don't even want to get out of bed."

"It's... It's because... I...My uncle called it beating day... It's the day he'd heat the fire poker, and..." His voice cracked and he covered his eyes, beginning to sob softly.

The two women were heartbroken at this point. The two women held the bundle in between them, giving Harry a warm hug. They let the tiny boy cry until he managed to calm himself down, and the women smiled at him.

"Well, if you're willing to, we'd like to celebrate your birthday. Just us and Auntie Feng." Cerebella said softly, kissing her son on the nose.

"That's right, hun... We can show you what a birthday is supposed to be like... We can show you that birthdays can be fun. Just trust us... Please?" They'd originally planned on inviting Regina and Hubrecht, but with Harry as upset as he was, it was probably for the best that he spent it with just the ones he was closest to.

Very slowly, he looked up at the two women, then finally nodded. They both smiled and kissed his head as a sign of affection. It seemed to begin to make him smile slightly, so they took turns kissing him, trying to get him to smile. Eventually, they decided it was time for breakfast, and Beatrix carried her son to the kitchen. "Hey~!" Feng cooed kissing his forehead. "Happy birthday sweetie!"

Harry tensed up slightly, but put on his best smile. "Th-Thank you, Auntie Feng..." He squeaked. Feng tilted her head, then smiled brightly at him.

"I hope you're ready, 'cause we are gonna have such a great day today!" She chirped. "I'm making you a super yummy breakfast. You're gonna love it!"

"O...Okay..." Harry mumbled. He didn't want to upset his Aunt Feng, so he was trying his best to seem as happy as he could. Both women noticed this and smiled sadly at him.

"Hey, it's okay hon." Cerebella said calmly, rubbing his head. "It'll be okay."

"We're here for you now Harry." Beatrix added.

Harry tried to calm himself down, to reassure himself that this birthday would not be like the rest, but the lingering fear persisted. It was a trauma he would need help to recover from... He remembered how hard it always was to move after his birthday beatings... And it seemed to be getting harder and harder to get back up again every year... In fact... He thought that if it had kept up... He would have been killed...

He looked up at Beatrix and finally let a smile form on his face. He nuzzled closer and mumbled "Mama.", making Beatrix grin widely.

"Aww, so precious." She cooed, hugging Harry then passing him over to Cerebella.

"Mommy..." He said, trying to be happy with his family. Cerebella smiled softly and rubbed his back.

"C'mon sweetie. Let's get ready to eat."

Harry nodded and let himslf be carried to the table, where he found his breakfast waiting for him. It was a two-stack of chocolate chip pancakes, with maple syrup. Auntie Feng had also added whipped cream, as well as the words 'Happy birthday, Harry!' imprinted into the pancake. Harry almost teared up. It was so nice... He loved it.

"Aw, I'm glad you like it sweetie." She said softly, seeing the happy look on his face. "Go on, eat up!" It took Harry a few minutes before he started eating. He didn't want to eat what his aunt had worked so hard on, but also knew she worked hard on it, and finally began eating.

It was delicious... His auntie had really gone all out this time, and just for him too... Just for his birthday... He ate his pancakes with the smallest hint of a smile on his face. The three women watched the little boy eat with fond smiles, though Feng was slightly disturbed by how ill at ease he seemed... He seemed more scared of his birthday than any other day... Perhaps Cerebella could explain later... She'd looked through all the pictures...

After he was done, he was picked up by Cerebella, and she and Beatrix made their way over to the couch in the living room. Sitting with Harry on her lap, Cerebella decided to try and raise Harry's spirits a bit, lightly tickling his ribs. Harry squirmed at first, then let a soft giggle escape. "Hm... I think you're ticklish..." Cerebella grinned.

Harry laughed uproariously as his mother tickled him, Beatrix watching on in silent amusement. It was nice to hear her child laughing on his big day... Finally, Cerebella stopped tickling Harry and just cuddled him close against her bust, gently stroking his head and smiling down at him warmly.

She smiled down at him, then passed him over to Beatrix, who held the boy up to her face and smiled before kissing him. "Daw... your laugh is so precious!" She cooed. "Feeling better now, sweetie?"

"Yes Mama." Harry said timidly. "Thank you..."

The two women smiled at their child. "Pretty good birthday so far, huh, Harry?" Cerebella asked. Harry nodded his head slowly. No pain was inflicted and his breakfast was delicious.

"Glad you think so, hun, because we're just getting started." Beatrix replied. "This is gonna be a great day, and you're gonna learn to love your birthday."

Harry was still apprehensive about the idea, but he knew his parents wouldn't ever hurt him, so maybe they were right. Maybe he COULD come to enjoy this day. Even if it was just him with his mommy and mama and auntie, that was still a good day to him, in a sense, making this birthday already a good day.

Cerebella and Beatrix exchanged a smile, then looked down at the boy. They thought about their ideas for the day... The cake had been decided on the night prior... They'd spent all week shopping for presents for the boy... The four occupants of the house were going to have an indoor picnic [though Beatrix still trusted Donald about as far as she could throw him with food...]

Speaking of that cursed duck. it made its way over and honked up at Harry as if saying 'Hello' to him. Harry giggled and patted the duck's head. Cerebella let out a soft 'aww' at their interaction, looking up at Beatrix who was staring at the duck with an agitated face, but wasn't saying anything.

Donald decided he wanted to take a seat in Harry's lap, waddling his way up and nestling down, making himself comfortable as Harry petted him. The other pets entered soon after, Beatrix having brought Peter and Hazel along so they too could be a part of Harry's big day. Kitty leapt onto Donald's back to playfully bat at Harry with his paws. Harry giggled and stroked Kitty's head. Beatrix grinned deviously. "I hope Kitty bugs you like you bug me..."

"Donald lets Kitty ride on his back all the time." Cerebella retorted.

Beatrix screamed into a pillow in response. Harry looked somewhat confused at Beatrix and held out his arms. Cerebella grinned and handed her over. Beatrix blinked then smiled, kissing his head. "Well... Harry." She began gently. "Your mommy and I got some things for you." Harry blinked in surprise and looked up at her.

"R-Really...? For me...?" Harry asked softly. Both women grinned at him. "I...I... Thank you..." The little boy began to tear up and his mothers exchanged a sad glance.

"Hey... It's your birthday..." Beatrix replied, stroking his back gently. "Of course we'd get you presents... Your auntie Feng bought some too."

"But... you didn't have to." Harry mumbled. "I...I don't deserve them..."

"Aww, sweetie." Beatrix said softly, lifting Harry's chin up. "What your aunt and uncle kept telling you... they're wrong. And don't feel bad about them. We bought them for you because we love you."

Harry buried his face into her chest, clutching tightly to her, smiling into the magician's tight embrace. Beatrix smiled and rested her chin atop his head. Smiling, Cerebella rose to her feet, stepping into the other room to collect the presents as her lover held the boy close.

When she returned, she looked at the gifts they had, randomly choosing one and picked it up. It was a box wrapped up in green paper. She handed it to Harry, who looked at it like it was the most foreign thing he had ever seen. It was both adorable and somewhat heartbreaking. Mostly adorable though.

He looked at it with his big green innocent eyes, seeming hesitant to open it, if only because he didn't want to disturb the pretty wrapping paper. Smiling, Beatrix yanked it slightly from the corner. "If you open from here, the paper will be just fine." She explained, bemused by his hesitance. Nodding, Harry carefully pulled his gift open.

Harry's eyes widened as he picked up a small stuffed white owl. He looked at it, then held it close, a wide smile forming on his face. 'Hm. Didn't know he liked owls.' Beatrix mentally remarked. 'Still, if it makes him happy. Heh, maybe he'd become an animal handler when he's older.'

"Like it, sweetie?" Cerebella asked with a warm smile. He looked up at her with a large beaming smile.

"Thank you mama... Mommy..." He said gratefully.

""You wanna think auntie Feng for this one, Harry. She bought that one for you." Beatrix replied, messing up his hair.

"Thank you Auntie Feng." Harry said, looking to his aunt with adoring eyes as she entered the room. Feng let out a slight squeal of delight at the sight of it and grinned.

"Aww, you're welcome Harry, I'm glad you like it." She said with a smile. Cerebella picked up another gift and handed it to Harry, who didn't seem as apprehensive as he did last time. That was good, the weightlifter noted.

He pulled the gift open, and found a board game inside the wrapping paper. Cerebella grinned and kissed his head. "There's something we can all do together as a family."

Harry's eyes lit up at the suggestion, and the women thought it was adorable. The next hour progressed like this, and both Cerebella and Beatirx noted that their hopes were not in vain, as Harry did seem genuinely happy as time went on. It was clear he was still questioning why they would to this for him, but they could talk about that later. "Alright, we have one last gift for you, from me and Beatrix." Cerebella said with a smile.

Harry smiled brightly, thanking them for the umpteenth time that day as he took the present gratefully. He pulled it open to find... a binder. Curious, Harry pulled it open... And found that it was filled up with pictures. Pictures of him spending time with his family.

Harry gave a tiny gasp as he looked at it, slowly flipping through the pages until he came to the final page. On the back cover was a note.

'To Harry, you are forever loved, you are safe, and you are special, you are our son.'

Love, Cerebella and Beatrix

Harry slowly looked up, tears forming in his eyes.

He hugged the photo album close and sniffled softly in joy. "This...is the best present ever..." He said softly, smiling tearfully up at his parents.

Both women smiled and wrapped an arm around him, pulling him into a tender embrace from either side. "I'm glad you like it, sweetie." Cerebella cooed.

"Yeah... You're such a sweetheart." Beatrix agreed.

Harry finally felt something just... disappear. The remaining fears and insecurities he may have had buried somewhere in his mind just... dissipated. With both his mommies and aunt Feng here, he felt like he actually belonged, and he believed now that he was loved, loved in a way he never believed he could be loved.

He remembered everything they'd done for him. All the time they'd spent together. All the times his parents comforted him when he needed them... It all came down on him. A massive wave of warmth and love and sheer, unadulterated happiness... This was the best birthday ever...

"I think he liked it." Beatrix whispered. She had been a bit apprehensive about the gift idea, but now when she saw how happy her son was, she knew Cerebella had the right idea.

"I think so too." Cerebella grinned, hugging her son close.

"Hey, stop hogging him."

Both women exchanged a glance before laughing softly. Cerebella passed her son back to hsr lover, who took him with a smile on her face.

Beatrix felt her heart melt when she felt Harry's tiny arms trying to wrap around her in a hug. The magician hugged her son tightly back with a wide grin on her face. The two remained in their happy embrace for a few moments, until Beatrix let go.

Beatrix and Cerebella exchanged a smile and rose to their feet. "All right, we opened up presents... Now let's break out the board games, shall we?" Cerebella said, Beatrix smiled and nodded. Board games were a rather humdrum, mediocre way to spend a birthday of all things... But for someone as harmed as Harry, they were perfect.

The four sat around a table, setting up the board game. It was one called Jenya. They set up the tower of blocks and let Harry go first. He took a block out and put it on top of the tower. Beatrix went next, then Cerebella, and finally Feng. A few turns later, things were getting intense, Beatrix knew that if she did this right, Feng would have no choice but to make the tower fall. As she slowly began to take the brick out-

"HONK!"

The sound of the duck honking directly into her ear startled her into jumping, causing her to accidentally knock the the tower over. She sat with her eye twitching before glaring at Donald. "Cheating little rat with wings..." She grumbled, sulking in her seat. Donald just quacked in her ear again. She made sure Harry wasn't looking before flipping the duck off.

Harry just laughed, and Beatrix knew she couldn't be that mad. Actually, she could, but she wasn't going to let that happen in front of Harry. Shaking her head in defeat, she decided to just set it up and try again. "That wasn't my fault." She muttered.

Feng patted Donald's head gently. "Let's just let Beatrix play the game fair and square, okay?" Donald leaned against her contently. She giggled. The group played a second round, this time uninterrupted. The game went on for ten minutes before Cerebella wound up knocking the tower over.

Beatrix smirked to herself, casting a quick glance to the duck, who seemed mockingly indifferent. Harry's laughter took her away from her mortal enemy as she smile over at her son. It seemed to be working. He finally seemed to be losing the fear that surrounded his birthday.

The magician sighed and smiled sadly. Then she looked over at the clock. "Huh. Looks like it's lunchtime now... Cerebella, you're out of the game. You wanna go grab it from the kitchen?" Cerebella nodded and rose to her feet, pouting slightly from her loss but quickly getting over it as she grabbed the basket containing their indoor picnic.

Beatrix smiled and picked up Harry, holding the boy close, who now had a wide grin on his face as he looked up at her. It was funny to Beatrix, a few weeks ago, those eyes would've been filled with fear and potentially resentment, but now when she looked into Harry's eyes, she saw love and adoration sparkling back up at her.

"All right, hun, lunchtime now." Feng rose to her feet to help Cerebella set the food at the table, making sure to fill the animals' bowls as well. The group continued to play board games as they ate their lunch. Harry won Jenga, and felt pride in himself. It was great fun.

Cerebella and Beatrix felt the happiness from Harry, and it made everything feel right. They didn't know if the fears he had were completely gone, but he seemed to at least have taken several steps towards getting better. That's more than they were hoping for. Harry was so innocent, yet so mistreated, it was heartbreaking knowing what he had been through. But now, he was safe, and he was loved.

The family ate happily, Beatrix taking the occasional ['occasional' meaning 'very frequent'] death glare at Donald to keep him away from her share of the food. Didn't stop the duck from snagging some anyway, much to her chagrin. It didn't help that he shared her lettuce with her rabbits."Et tu, Peter and Hazel?" Muttered the grouchy magician.

She then noticed Harry seemed to be feeding bits of his food to the duck, who was happily eating them before looking back to Beatrix. "Harry..." She began. the tiny boy turned and looked at her with a tilted head. "Never mind."

She was unwilling to chide her son for his innocence. It wasn't his fault Donald was a manipulative little piece of- 'Wow, I'm beginning to think I have issues.' After the picnic was finished and the family decided they'd had enough with board games, they decided to watch one of the movies they'd gotten Harry as a gift.

Harry sat between Cerebella and Beatrix. The pair had argued briefly over who's turn it was to hold him, and eventually decided to just let him be between the two. Once the movie was playing, Harry seemed to get completely absorbed into it. It was a movie about Yetis, and the mystery of the 'Small Foot' as they referred to humans.

It was a decent enough kid's film, nothing really groundbreaking, but as long as Harry was at ease, both of his parents were content. After the movie ended, Feng rose to her feet. "Well, I'd better go work on that cake now..." The juggler grinned at Harry and messed up his hair. "I promise you are going to LOVE it!"

"Right... I'm gonna head to my place and get started on his birthday dinner." Beatrix agreed, rising to her feet and moving to the door.

"Bye mama!" Harry called happily. Beatrix smiled and waved back, leaving Harry with Cerebella.

"Are you tired, sweetie?" Cerebella asked, already knowing the answer.

"N...No..." Harry mumbled, before yawning slightly. Cerebella laughed gently and picked him up.

"Daw... you've had a big day, cutie." Cerebella cooed. "Why don't you take a nap, and I'll wake you up when it's time to eat?"

Harry snuggled in closer, closing his eyes as he rested his head against his mother's chest. His droopy eyes finally stayed closed as he drifted off to sleep in his mother's arms. Cerebella smiled, then leaned back with a soft sigh. "Happy birthday, Harry... I'm glad you're having a good one so far..." She said softly.

She remained where she was for roughly an hour and a half. She drifted off herself slightly, sighing contently as she felt the weight in her lap breathing peacefully. When she woke up, the first thing she noted was that something smelled AMAZING. She couldn't tell if it was Beatrix's dinner, Feng's cake, or both. But whatever it was, she wanted it.

"Meow?"

Looking over, she saw Kitty looking up at her innocently. Smiling, she reached over and gave her pet a scratch behind the ears, getting him to purr. "Heh... Hey, Kitty... You enjoying Harry's birthday too?" She said jovially. Kitty mewled in response and nuzzled into her hand affectionately.

The small cat jumped over onto the couch and nuzzled against Harry, making the sleeping boy smile. Cerebella chuckled softly, feeling... content. She had Beatrix, she had Harry, and her son was finally opening up, she had helped him overcome what may have been one of his worst fears... That made her happy. She felt relieved knowing she could help her son.

She heard footsteps and looked over to see Beatrix enter the room. "Finally up, huh, sleeping beauty?" She teased with a light smirk. Cerebella smiled.

"Yeah... Harry was sleepy... He's been having a big day... Heh..." Beatrix smiled at the sleeping child as she stepped into the room.

"Well, dinner's ready, so come and get it. It's one of my specialties." The magician boasted with a grin.

Cerebella shook Harry gently. The tiny boy mumbled something inaudible and slowly opened his eyes. "Mommy?" He mumbled.

"Hi cutie, it's dinner time." she said softly, tickling his chin, earning a tiny giggle from the boy.

He stretched his tiny arms in an attempt to wake himself up and looked up at his mother before snuggling in closer to her. Chuckling, Cerebella carried him downstairs, Beatrix trailing behind. At the delicious smell wafting through his nostrils, Harry fully awakened and looked at Beatrix, blinking brightly. The magician grinned at him, unable to keep a hint of smug pride off her face. "Smells good, huh? That's your birthday dinner." She said.

"Thank you mama." Harry said, finally managing to wake himself up. The magician grinned and patted his head as Cerebella sat him down in a chair.

"You're welcome, sweetie." Beatrix smiled down at the tiny boy, who gave a small smile in response. Why was everything he did so adorable?!

Feng peeked out from the next room with a beaming smile. "I finished baking the cake too!" She chirped. "Let's get to eating now, okay?" Harry nodded and smiled as he was set down at the table. He watched his mother set down his dinner in front of him.

There was some food his Auntie Feng had made, and some he didn't recognize. Beatrix served up some pancakes to start, placing them on Harry's plate and occasionally glaring over at that cursed duck, which thankfully seemed to have backed off, respecting Harry's food. But she also noted that it would cast a glance to her plate. 'No.' Beatrix mentally scowled.

Beatrix set down a plate of chicken parmesan on the table and looked over at Donald with a grin. "I've been curious about what this would taste like with duck, so I wouldn't push my buttons too much if I were you." Donald looked at the cooked bird, then at the knives on Beatrix's clothing, then back at the bird. Then he waddled away to go cower where she wouldn't see him.

Cerebella blinked. "...Okay, I think you've managed to scare him straight now."

"Great!" Beatrix said with a smile. Thankfully, Harry didn't seem to notice as Kitty had come by and was currently being pet by the tiny boy. The other sat down and began their meal. The food was great and the atmosphere was pure, Harry didn't seem to hesitate or ask if eating was okay this time. Cerebella and Beatrix took turns feeding him, and he always seemed readily hungry for more.

"I think he's really warming up now." Cerebella remarked, looking down at Harry who was eating some pancakes. "I think the worst of the fear is gone, or at least, more manageable."

Beatrix smiled and nodded. "Yeah... He's finally opened up... Heh... Now you can be the happy little guy we all know you are, isn't that right, Harry?" Harry beamed at his mothers and his auntie... His family... This was what a birthday was supposed to be... Just an enjoyable time with his loved ones...

Once dinner was finished, Harry was picked up by Beatrix, and giggled as the black-haired woman playfully tickled his sides, making his squirm and laugh. His tiny voice was still one of the cutest things Beatrix had ever heard. Feng had disappeared to get dessert, and Cerebella was cleaning off the table. The two women had earlier agreed they'd both clean up, but Beatrix decided this was more important.

Cerebella didn't mind one bit. Beatrix needed some time to bond alone with Harry too. She hadn't been in his life for as long as she had after all...

"Daw... you're such a little cutie." Beatrix cooed, kissing Harry's forehead. Beatrix was left in shocked silence when Harry reached up and kissed Beatrix on her cheek. The magician gasped and looked down at her son, surprised, before her face grew into a massive grin. She began smother his face with kisses in response.

Cerebella chuckled and Feng clasped her hands together, letting out a long "Awwwww!" as her eyes sparkled and teared up. By the time Beatrix pulled away, Harry's face was covered in purple lipstick marks. He wore them with pride, smiling widely and resting his head against his mama's breast, enjoying her warm and loving embrace. He couldn't believe this was the same woman that had scared him back when he was first found.

Beatrix couldn't believe this was the tiny boy she had frightened when he first arrived, now he was the most precious little boy who loved her with all his heart. Beatrix wrapped him up in her arms and hummed contently, with a closed-eyed smile as she rocked the tiny boy back and forth.

Cerebella watched the scene before her with a warm smile. Harry had accepted Beatrix since their relationship started... But it felt like this was officially cemented now. It melted her heart to see just how close they had gotten over the months Cerebella had had him. The pure love emanating between the two was enough to make her tear up in happiness.

"Ooh... I just love you!" Beatrix cooed, holding her son close. "You're just so tiny and cute! I just love you so much!" Harry giggled and leaned into the embrace, enjoying the love and affection his mother was giving to him. Maybe his birthday wasn't something to be worried about. Honestly he began to believe maybe this was a good day.

Yes... If he got to spend time with his family like this every birthday, then he was absolutely certain he could learn to love it like Dudley loved his. He didn't need the mountains of presents Dudley got. He didn't need to go to zoos or movie theaters or burger places. All he needed was his family to be with him.

Feng and Cerebella just watched the adorable interaction between the two. Neither one of them wanted to interrupt it, even for cake. "Wow... I..." Feng began but laughed, unsure of what to say. "I never would've expected her to have THAT much of a soft side..."

Cerebella grinned as she turned to her best friend. "Neither did I, but that soft side's a huge reason I fell in love with her... I just love how sweet she can be..."

Beatrix overheard them and blushed slightly, hiding it behind Harry's tiny form with a slightly annoyed expression on her face. "Take a picture why don't you?"

Click.

Beatrix blinked as Cerebella was suddenly holding her phone, taking a picture of the two. "I was being sarcastic..." Beatrix muttered.

"Yeah, but you both look so cute together!" Cerebella grinned. Beatrix sighed and shook her head. knowing she wasn't going to win this argument.

She just rested her chin atop Harry's head and maintained her best grump face, which got a giggle out of Feng and Cerebella. "Aww, you're cufe when you're all grouchy like that, Trixie." Cerebella teased.

"Shut up..." Beatrix muttered, pulling Harry closer to her chest, now not feeling like ever giving him back. "He's all mine now."

"You don't want to do that." Cerebella blinked, suddenly getting serious.

Beatrix huffed and tightened her hold on the boy. "Sure I do. And I'm going to." Cerebella gave a competitive grin.

"You challenging me?" Beatrix leaned forward with a grin, both women touching noses.

"Maybe I am."

"Girls... At least wait until Harry's asleep." Feng groaned.

They both blinked, realizing what Feng was getting at, and backed up slightly. But much to Cerebella's annoyance, Beatrix didn't let go of Harry. While Cerebella was ready to fight her over this, the look of content and happiness on her son's face made her realize she couldn't. Not while he was awake.

She was looking forward to a good spar with her girlfriend, though. Beatrix was, by far, the co-worker she enjoyed sparring with the absolute most. And it was even better after they had left behind all their previous animosity, because now they could focus all their attention on enjoying the thrill of the fight instead of anger at one another.

"Hey, I think it's time." Feng remarked. The two women turned in confusion, then realized what she was getting at and nodded. Harry seemed confused, and Beatrix patted his head.

"You'll see soon love." She cooed softly.

She pulled the cake out of the fridge and set it down carefully before grabbing a kitchen knife and cutting into it, making sure her little nephew got a nice big slice. Because hey... He was the birthday boy, after all. "Thank you, Auntie Feng." Harry said gratefully as she set the plate down in front of him with a warm smile.

"Aw, I'm glad you like it honey." Feng grinned. Cerebella and Beatrix as on either side of Harry, eating their own cake and occasionally smiling down at Harry who was clearly loving the dessert. The two occasionally would feed him a little bit, getting a happy coo fomr the tiny boy.

The cake was finished quickly, and the family of four sat at the table for an extra thirty minutes, chatting animatedly and having a good time. The pets joined as well, even Donald returning from where he was hiding in the bathroom. He decided to lay off Beatrix for a while. It was getting a big stale anyway.

Harry was just happy to be with his parents, and it was clear they were happy to be with him. Harry didn't always understand what they were talking about, but looked up in interest, trying his best to follow along. This didn't go unnoticed by the two women. "Heh, did you have a good day?" Cerebella grinned down at her son.

Harry nodded his head in affirmation, before yawning softly. Chuckling, Cerebella scooped him up into her arms gently and stroked his back. "Mommy...? Mama...? Auntie Feng...?" All three women gave him their full attention. "I don't think I'm scared of my birthday anymore...

The three grinned widely as the two women hugged him, one on each side, leaving Harry sandwiched between the two. "Yay!" Cerebella cheered.

"Great to hear it kid." Beatrix grinned, kissing him on the top of his head. Harry giggled at the affection they were giving him. He loved their affection.

He yawned again, and Cerebella chuckled. "All right, hun, let's get you to bed now, okay?" Harry nodded against her shoulder and then almost immediately began to snore softly.

The two women put him to bed and stepped back, watching their son sleep peacefully. "Heh... I think he's happy." Cerebella sighed.

"I think 'happy' is underselling it a little bit." Beatrix smirked. "The kid seemed like his heart was gonna give out in joy more than once."

Both women exchanged smiles, then a deep kiss. "Well... We did it... We got him completely out of his shell." Cerebella said with a warm smile.

"I'm glad to see it." Beatrix nodded. "The little guy was so far in there, I didn't think it was possible. Even before we got together I assumed you'd never get him fully out."

"So you're saying YOU were the reason he opened up?" Cerebella asked with a raised brow. "The woman who threatened to kidnap him? The one who terrifed him?"

"Yes."

Cerebella gave her an annoyed look, and she chuckled softly. "No, Cerebella, I didn't think that at all... I didn't think either one of us would completely save him from himself."

"Yeah, yeah..." Cerebella cast a sad smile at her sleeping boy. "Well, he's happy now. THat's all that matters."

"Agreed." Beatrix nodded.

"Hey guys?" Feng called. "I need you in here." The two looked to one another in confusion, and walked out to where Feng was holding a letter.

"This is for you two." She remarked. "...and me."


	14. Chapter 14

Vitale Medici initially thought little of the boy Cerebella took off the streets. Just a simple street rat, potential muscle for the family later down the line.

But then, he got wind of his training with Beatrix...

"So you're telling me the kid has magic?" Lorenzo asked skeptically.

"I'm not sure, but he has... something." Vitale answered, deep in thought. "He and Beatrix have been training, and the others say he's shown traits similar to hers."

"And... this is important to me how?"

Vitale pulled out a sheet of paper, ripped straight from a book. "You see here, father? With enough magical energy, we can create a new life gem."

"Feh... And you expect a tiny child to have enough?" Lorenzo scoffed. Vitale smirked.

"Oh, but he does. I've reviewed the footage from the Cirques de Cartes' practice sessions."

"Uh huh." The older man said flatly. "How powerful could one kid-" He trailed off, seeing the footage of Harry and Beatrix. The kid had an unnatural amount of power, and it was clear he didn't know what to do with it. Lorenzo blinked, thinking this all over.

"His magic could be classified as wild magic." Vitale explained. "It's chaotic, he still doesn't have that much control of it. That's when it's at it's most powerful phase."

Lorenzo looked excited, leaning forward with a massive grin. "I can have my life gem back?!" He exclaimed before coughing violently, his old age unable to keep up.

"Yes, yes, father, but there is one problem... You see, Cerebella, one of our most valuable assets, has grown very attached to the boy." Vitale replied.

"Hm. Easy enough." The older man shrugged. "Send her on a job. The other two as well."

"What if she wants to take him with her?" Vitale asked, raising a fair point.

"Tell her Regina's agreed to watch him. She'll probably believe that." Lorenzo shrugged, beginning to walk away. "Regardless, if what you're telling me is true, this will probably be our last chance to ever get this done right."

Vitale nodded his head. "I will tell her that I will watch him. Cerebella is deeply imprinted on me. She will have no issue going along with it."

"I don't much care how you go about it, I just want that boy on our side by the end of the month. And if he won't use his magic for our benefit... We will take it ourselves." Vitale blinked, unsure what his father meant by that, but shrugged. At the end of the day, he was a kid Cerebella had found in an alleyway. He probably didn't have any actual family, and he couldn't matter to anyone. So who was gonna miss him?

Worst case scenario, he could simply tell Cerebella he fell victim to one of the family's enemies. That would help him kill two birds with one stone. Either the boy would create the gem willingly... Or they would force him to.

"So... so do we have to go?" Beatrix blinked, reading over the letter. Effectively, they all had to go on a job, and Regina had agreed to take care of Harry.

"Well, yeah." Cerebella frowned. "It's a job, we need to do it." Feng and Beatrix looked to one another in annoyance.

"But... This job could take forever..." Feng said softly, reading over the letter. "This is like... a month at least... Can we really just... leave Harry for that long...?"

"I don't think we have much of a choice." Cerebella said. There wasn't sadness in her voice, just a hollow sense of the word. Beatrix frowned, knowing something was wrong, but she couldn't say what it was... That made her all the more nervous.

"Does Harry even know Regina that well?" She finally asked, raising another point.

"They've... interacted, and they're on friendly terms, but they're not really... close or anything... They definitely haven't bonded the same way he did with you when you watched him..."

"Couldn't we just bring him with us?" Feng asked softly, twiddling her thumbs. "If we all keep a really close eye on him, then it'll probably be okay..."

"..." Cerebella didn't say anything. She was genuinely torn at this moment. On the one hand, she didn't want to leave her son behind, she hated having done that for just a few days. But on the other hand, she knew she had to help Vitale any way she could. This was something she had never thought about, what SHOULD she decide? Her son? Or the man who had raised her?

She took a deep breath. "Okay... Okay, so... we WILL be coming back... It'll take some time, but we will come home... And Harry... He needs to be able to cope with us...y'know... Not being there sometimes..."

"But..." Feng tried to protest.

"This is our job, Feng... This is a part of our lives... Harry... Harry'll be okay... He will..."

Beatrix looked equally uncertain, but she didn't know what to do. Tell Cerebella Vitale was an asshole? What would that accomplish? And... ugh. Why couldn't she think of an argument?! 'Because you owe them.' Flashed through her head. Damn it... She hadn't ever expected to find love while working for Vitale and the others, but... she had. Cerebella sadly set the letter down and walked to Harry's room, knowing she had to tell him. Then hug him.

The other two followed along behind the greenette. They were not about to leave without saying good-bye to Harry themselves. The girls felt a twinge of pain in their hearts when they saw his sweet, smiling face, knowing that the smile was about to fade away into one of sadness, fear and uncertainty...

Cerebella got down next to him and slowly explained everything. She explained there was a job they had to do, and that all three of them would be gone for awhile. She explained that Harry couldn't come with them, but that didn't mean they loved him any less. They explained that Miss Regina would be looking after him, and that no matter what happened, they would be back. Harry... Had a hard time accepting it. He didn't want to be away from his mommy and mama. But... he didn't know what he could do. So finally, he nodded sadly, looking down at the sheets.

Cerebella pulled Harry into a tight hug and kissed his forehead. "It'll be okay, Harry... We're not leaving until tomorrow, so we'll all spend time with you tonight before we go."

"L-Like after you came back last time and auntie Feng stayed in the room with us...?"

"Yeah... Exactly... We'll all hang out a bit more before tomorrow." Cerebella said with a soft smile.

Harry nodded sadly, looking down at the sheets again. His parents sat on either side and hugged him, knowing he wasn't going to want to be alone tonight. Harry didn't say much, he just wanted to be with his parents. Neither woman wanted to leave him, but they didn't know what to do, so they settled for just comforting him.

Feng took a seat on a nearby chair and looked sadly over at the family of three. A month was way too long to be separated from your child... An hour later, Harry fell asleep once more. Cerebella, Beatrix and Feng all looked back and forth between one another, none of them entirely sure what to say.

"I don't like this." Beatrix finally said. "We can't leave him. If it was a week, maybe. But we can't leave him for a month."

"Yeah... but we have to do the job." Cerebella answered, timidly.

"Cere..." Beatrix began, her hand clenching slightly. But she stopped and sighed, shaking her head.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's nothing."

'Damn it, you're such a coward!' Beatrix scolded herself internally, disgusted with her own inability to tell Cerebella the truth about Vitale... She had an awful feeling about this. Every fibre of her being was screaming at her not to go through with it... She felt as though something bad was going to happen. For a brief moment... She even considered grabbing Harry and just running away somewhere...

But that would hurt Harry. Hurt him more than she could ever explain. She kept thinking of something, any sort of way they could get around this. The issue was, her family was either dead or not someone she wanted to leave Harry with, Cerebella's family was Vitale... and that was about it, and Feng had mentioned earlier her parents were leaving for a vacation a few days earlier. There really wasn't any other way... 'Okay, think rationally.' Beatrix mused mentally. 'Vitale's an asshole, Lorenzo's a bastard, but they wouldn't hurt Harry. They have no reason to. Even if they know about his magic, there's nothing he can do with it that would make him noteworthy to them. Regina's... Regina's nice. She'd take care of Harry, and keep him form getting hurt. But still, a month!?'

She exhaled through her nostrils and looked down at her sleeping child, clenching her fists down at her sides. "...Cerebella... While we're out there..."

"Yeah, Beatrix?"

Beatrix looked her in the eyes, dead serious. "We are bringing back presents... Lots of presents."

"Yeah. Definitely." Cerebella nodded, leaning down and kissing her son's sleeping face. The three remained there, not wanting to leave Harry's side for the rest of the night. None of them liked what they had to do, but Cerebella saw no other way, Beatrix didn't know how to tell her girlfriend this was wrong, and Feng was in this to try and keep Cerebella together. The latter two didn't know if what they needed to do was possible, but they'd try. For Harry's sake.

The next morning, Cerebella was the first to awaken. She looked outside and exhaled softly through her nose. It was a miserable, rainy day. Very appropriate, as that was exactly how she was feeling at the moment. She looked over at the sleeping Harry and bit her lip sadly, tightening her hold on him. "Man... I don't know how people with kids can just go off on those long business trips... This is seriously torture..." Cerebella said softly.

She looked down at the sleeping boy and rocked him gently, trying to comfort him and keep him happy. "I don't wanna be away from my Harry..." She pouted, wishing there was some other way.

"If anything, i think it shows how good a relationship you two have." Beatrix remarked, gently taking one of Harry's hands. "Some parents wouldn't think twice about being away for a month. No offence, but I don't think we could reasonably be gone more than a few days."

'Take. The. Hint.' Beatrix mentally screamed, trying to get her point across.

Cerebella tilted her head, looking very much like a confused puppy, but she chose not to say anything. "I think we should get him breakfast before we go." As the brawler rose to her feet and walked out, Beatrix sighed and looked over at Feng, who was asleep in her chair. She grabbed the smaller woman's shoulder and shook her awake.

"C'mon." She said. "We're getting the kid some breakfast before we go."

"What? Oh... right..." Feng muttered, shaking her head as she dragged herself up. She followed after the magician to the kitchen where Cerebella had Harry resting on her shoulder in one arm and was getting some food for him in the other.

Beatrix looked over at Feng and sighed softly before giving her a serious look. "I know I'm not the only one that really doesn't like this..."

"Yeah... Something seems really... off about this..." Feng agreed softly, rubbing her arm. "But... I don't want my moms to get targeted... I have to do what I'm told..."

"Right..." Beatirx sighed. "Damn it..." The four had seated themselves, with Harry in between Cerebella and Beatrix. Each of them took turns feeding him, but Harry seemed downcast, and no amount of kisses or playful pokes seemed to raise his spirits. Granted, the two women understood why. But that didn't make things any easier.

After breakfast was over, there was a knock at the door. Cerebella turned to Feng and Beatrix. "That must be Regina... You guys say bye to Harry, I'll go and let her in." She turned to exit the room, then made her way to the front door, opening it expecting Regina... But instead, much to her surprise, she saw Vitale.

"Oh, hi Vitale." She said with a grin. "Something I can help you with?"

"Yes, Regina said she was busy feeding the lions and asked if I could pick up the boy." Upon hearing that, Beatrix snapped to to attention.

"I'm gonna kill him." Beatrix seethed under her breath.

"Don't." Feng hissed back.

"I'm gonna."

"Wait until Harry and Cerebella are gone."

Cerebella tilted her head. "She asked... you...? Wouldn't she ask Hubrecht or something?" Vitale shook his head.

"I happened to be in the area at the time. Hubrecht is oversleeping once again. Do not worry, Cerebella... I will ensure the boy arrives safely."

Cerebella paused, now torn between her father figure and her son. But, Vitale wouldn't hurt Harry. He hadn't lied to her before, so what reason did she have to assume he was lying now? Still, she could feel the anger coming from Beatrix, but- "Alright." she nodded. "Harry, sweetie?"

Harry looked over at his mother with a tilted head. "Uh-huh, mommy...?" He asked softly. Cerebella stepped forward to take him from Beatrix, noting her girlfriend seemed unwilling to loosen her grip.

"Beatrix... C'mon... Let go, he needs to go to Regina's." Cerebella chided lightly, thinking this was because Beatrix just didn't want to be separated from Harry.

There was something in her eyes though... as she finally was handed Harry, there was... anger? It felt like that, but what was she angry about? Sure, Cerebella hated the idea of leaving her child for a month, but he was going to be taken care of. 'I hate this.' Beatirx mentally scowled, something telling her she shouldn't go. It wasn't just missing Harry, something felt off.

She looked at Vitale and felt an intense wave of hatred wash over her. She hated everything about this slimeball. His bizarre square head, his slimy voice, the very ground he walked on, everything! The worst part? She'd never had these feelings until she knew this man was going to be around her son...

The issue was, they had helped her, so there wasn't much she could do now... Aside from tell Cerebella the truth, she was going to. while they were on the job, she'd tell her the truth. She may hurt her... but she needed to know the truth. One way or another. "We'll see you soon honey." Cerebella smiled sadly.

She gave Harry one last hug before setting him down by Vitale. "Okay... Be good for Regina, and we'll do something fun when we get back... Okay...?"

Harry bit his lip. "B-Bye, mommy... Bye, mama... Bye, auntie Feng..." He said softly, his voice audibly shaking. Cerebella bit her lip.

"Vitale, can you take our pets along too? I really don't want Harry to be lonely while we're gone..." She said softly.

"Huh? Oh, yes." He remarked off-handedly. Kitty, Peter and Hazel following. Donald seemed to be staying behind and looking for something. Then Beatrix swore she saw him leave with a knife in his mouth. Beatrix blinked but didn't say anything. If that duck was trying to protect Harry... then she wasn't going to say anything to stop it. But still, where'd it get a knife?

The three women gave Harry a protective embrace each, a kiss on the head... And then they left, all looking back at Harry as he was led off by Vitale. "Bye, mommy... Bye, mama... Bye, auntie Feng..." He said softly and sadly, clearly scared to be separated from all of his loved ones for so long.

"Don't worry, dear boy.." Vitale remarked in a calm tone. "A month may seem long, but it'll fly by and then they'll be back." Harry looked up at the older man. He wanted to believe his words he was saying, but that didn't help him too much.

He had a very bad feeling in his tummy... He clutched the teddy bear he had brought along with him tightly, following wordlessly behind Vitale as he tried to focus on the future... They would come back for him... Everything was going to be okay... He would see his family again soon... So why did he have such a bad feeling in his tummy...? Why did looking at Vitale remind him of his uncle...?

"Um... Mr. Vitale?" Harry quietly asked as they kept walking. "Where are we going?"

"Listen, boy." Vitale began, not turning to look back. "I want to ask you something, about your magic."

"Uh... okay..." Harry said timidly, feeling anxious about something.

"How much control over it do you have?" Vitale jumped straight to the point. Harry looked down and thought back to what his mama had taught him.

"Um... I'm pretty good at controlling it, but my mama says I still need to learn a few things..." He mumbled softly. Vitale nodded his head.

"Well, you'll have to learn now. We have a job for you to accomplish." Harry tensed up. A job? Was he going to be sent away like his family was?

Vitale seemed to notice this and added: "Don't worry boy, you're staying here." That made Harry somewhat less tense, but he was still nervous. Vitale handed him some old parchment with writing in a language Harry had never seen before. Most of it had it written below in english though. At the top were the words 'Life Gem'. Harry blinked, confused.

"Do you think you could make that?" Vitale asked.

"Um... I... I dunno how to... read the words... I dunno what to do... My mama talked about this before... She... She told me making one of these was really dangerous..."

Vitale snorted lightly. "Be that as it may... This is highly important to my father. Please, Harry... For the family."

Harry hesitated. "I'll... I'll try, but... Can't mama make it for you...?

"She's tried, but her magic differs from yours." Vitale replied flatly. "Where she's able to conjure portals and lift things, your magic is apparently much more powerful." Harry didn't reply, he had been told by Beatrix that this was dangerous. But at the same time, Vitale was technically his family... so maybe it would help the family.

"I'll try." Harry finally said.

Vitale smirked and nodded in affirmation. "Very good, little Harry, very good. Now then, come along... We're going to meet with my father..."

"But... But I thought we were going to Miss Regina's house..." Harry said softly. Vitale simply shrugged his shoulders.

"Plans change, my boy. Plans change." He said simply.

Harry wanted to say something, but he knew better than to talk back to someone older than him. While he knew his parents wouldn't hurt him, Vitale reminded him a lot of his uncle for some reason, and Harry knew what happened if Vernon ever got mad for any reason. He still had the scars, mentally and physically.

The pets seemed to sense his fear, and decided it appropriate to comfort him. With a soft, concerned mewl, Kitty jumped up onto his shoulder and nuzzled him. Peter and Hazel weaved around his legs, rubbing up against him to provide comfort. And Donald flapped his way up to nestle himself atop Harry's head in a protective manner.

Harry felt somewhat less tense as he followed Vitale into another building. An older man (Harry assumed this was Lorenzo) was there, and there was a woman Harry thought he had seen when he was first brought home but, he couldn't remember. The room seemed somewhat darkened, making Harry uneasy again.

"Good, you brought him in. Now he can get to work." Lorenzo said, the elderly man not even bothering to put on a friendly facade, anxious to finally have his life gem replaced.

"Yes, yes, we will see what he can do." Vitale said with a nod. Black Dahlia rolled her eyes.

"I keep telling you, this will accomplish nothing. This is a child. Even fully grown magic users struggle to even come close to creating a life gem... Ours was a mere fluke of luck."

"Silence, Dahlia! The boy WILL make me my life gem if he knows what's good for him! Get to it! Now!" Lorenzo barked.

"Father... Perhaps it would be best not to frighten him. He will need to focus on his work you know." Vitale said, trying to be reasonable.

Harry remained silent, understanding why Beatrix and Cerebella had seemed apprehensive about even mentioning Lorenzo before, he just seemed... scary. The woman next to him also made Harry feel nervous. She seemed to have a similar presence much like Beatrix when he first met her. Only here, Harry knew quickly she wasn't nice deep down like his Mama. "Um..." He mumbled, looking at the paper again, reading over the confusing instructions. "O..okay..."

He looked down at them. "Um..." He looked at what was in front of him. "Okay... So um... I'm supposed to... make some kind of... soup out of this stuff...?"

"Yes, The ingredients are to be mixed together. Then you will have to perform the spell to finish it." Harry looked at the instructions.

"Um... Okay, I'll... try..."

"Honestly, you expect a child to be able to do this by himself?" Dahlia snorted, annoyed by this idiocy.

"It is a matter of testing him, Dahlia. Both his capabilities, and his loyalty to the family." Vitale said sternly.

Dahlia didn't' reply, it didn't matter much to her. Harry meanwhile was gathering what was supposedly needed to make the life gem. He didn't like this, why wasn't he with Miss Regina? He wanted his mommies... But he was afraid if he said anything, he'd be hurt, and they were his family, so he wanted to try at least.

He tried his best to follow the instructions, he really did, but he found himself accidentally spilling too much of the weird red liquid abd overflowing the mixture. "IDIOT BOY!" Lorenzo barked out, making Harry wince. The old man threw something at him from his desk that narrowly missed him.

This caused Harry's magic to react in fear, causing the surrounding area to suddenly freeze, the walls and floor turning to ice. Everyone blinked in surprise before Vitale leaned over to his father. "Father, I don't care for the boy, but he's a child. Did you really expect him to get this right on the first try?" He muttered. Lorenzo shot him a death glare but didn't say anything.

Dahlia looked around at the area around them, intrigued. "Hmm... Most impressive. I've never seen Beatrix accomplish anything on this level, yet he did it subconsciously..." Harry paid no attention to Dahlia's praise, his shaky hands trying to fix what he had done wrong, but to no avail. This particular mixture was ruined.

"Damn it..." Lorenzo growled. "Dahlia. Watch him. Vitale, get more supplies." Vitale nodded and wordlessly left. He was annoyed at how badly the attempt had failed, but at the same time, the kid's power was impressive. Harry was now left alone with the dark-clothed woman. She looked down at him, her expression cold and unreadable.

"For your own safety child, get it right." She said in a cold, serious tone.

"I...I'm trying, but... my mama never taught me how to do this... She told me she didn't want me making something like this... She said it was dangerous..."

Dahlia looked thoughtful. "Your... 'mama' you say? But Beatrix has been teaching you. Not Cerebella..."

"Th-They're together now... Like a mommy and daddy, but... it's two mommies instead..."

Dahlia blinked, a bit surprised by that. Cerebella and Beatrix hated each other. Had the kid brought them together? That sounded like the synopsis to one of those day time tv movies people who didn't work or worked from home often watched. Still, what did she care? She was here to make sure this job got done, and she had a feeling that before this was over, Harry would see who the Medici's really were.

She exhaled and approached, picking up the instructions and reading them over with a frown. "...You wizards certainly make things complicated."

"Oh... M'sorry..." Harry mumbled softly, twiddling his thumbs. Dahlia rolled her eyes.

"It's not like you wrote it. Though I'd gladly give a piece of my mind to whoever did... Hmm... It says here that it takes an immense amount of magic to create a life gem... Perhaps more than you have."

"But... what am I supposed to do then?" Harry asked. For half a second, Dahlia was distracted by his tiny voice, but then she snapped back to reality. She frowned before looking down at him.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Did Beatrix ever teach you how to summon more magic?"

"Um. I..I don't think so." Harry mumbled, and Dahlia sighed. This was not going to go smoothly...

She looked down at him with a small frown. "Vitale also plans to put you through various tests. You'd best be ready for that."

Harry looked down. "T-Tests...? What kind of tests...?"

"He wants to train you in combat, for one thing." Dahlia explained.

"Combat? Like... hurting people?" Harry asked, clearly frightened.

"If you're good enough, you won't get hurt." Dahlia replied.

"But-but-I don't wanna hurt anyone!" Harry exclaimed, terrifed by the idea.

'Holy... the kid really has no idea, does he?'' Dahlia blinked, now confirming her suspicion that Harry didn't know who Vitale or Lorenzo really were. That was also gonna make things... awkward, to say the least.

Then again, it was no real surprise to her. His adoptive mother was the most naive human being she'd ever met. Vitale was at a point where he didn't even have to pretend to care to keep her on his payroll. "Look, kid. If you're in the Medicis, you're gonna have to fight. There's no way around it." Dahlia said sternly. Harry hugged his knees.

"But I never fought before..."

"I've worked with less."

"Huh?"

"It means like it or not, it's going to happen." Dahlia said flatly. "Listen. I mean this when I say it, do what they ask of you, and don't fight against it. If you don't give them a reason to be angry with you, they probably won't."

"I..I want my mommy..." Harry mumbled.

"That's what I'm talking about." Dahlia replied. "For your own safety, keep your head down and try to make this work."

Harry winced slightly. It was just like his time back at the Dursleys... He was going to have to just keep his head tucked between his shoulders and do as he was told... Or risk punishment... How would he be punished for failure...? Would he be yelled at...? Would he lose meals...? Would he be hit...? The warmth of his birthday seemed so far away now...

He didn't like Miss Dahlia, she seemed scary. But, there was something about her words that Harry knew was true. But who would he fight? Why would they want him too? He was so confused, he felt alone. He didn't know what to say. Eventually, he decided silence was the best option, and returned to re-reading the life gem spell again, afraid of what would happen if it went wrong.

Cerebella, Beatrix and Feng sat on the train in silence, none of them feeling particularly up for talking due to their emotional turmoil. Cerebella simply didn't like leaving her son behind... But Beatrix and Feng? They were dealing with their base instincts screaming at them to go back for Harry...

Beatrix was trying to focus by levitating a knife, spinning it around, and not making eye contact with anyone. Feng had a few drinks and was looking at nothing in particular. At the same time, Cerebella looked out the window, watching the town get further and further away. Sure, by now it was impossible to see, but it was the idea she was trying to hold onto.

Beatrix caught her knife in her hand and glared silently at it. Oh, how she'd love to see this knife plunged deep into that sentient bullfrog's back... Feng just wished she was drinking something stronger to quell her anxiety. She was worried sick. She just hoped Harry really was with Regina now...

She cast a glance to Beatrix, and noticed the magician look back. The two seemed to wordlessly agree on how much they hated this, and how annoying it was that Cerebella wouldn't see the truth. Beatrix sighed quietly. She'd tell her, once they were at their location, once the job was done, or sometime soon... she'd tell her everything. Not just for her sake, but for her son's sake. 'What if she hates you for it?' A voice in her head asked, raising the question she didn't want to answer. 'What if it hurts her? What if she doesn't want to talk to you afterwards?'

She shook her head fiecely to force those thoughts away. She couldn't afford to think like that... Not while her son's innocence and possibly health was on the line...

She'd figure it out. One way or another. This had to happen. The three remained in silence, unsure of where exactly they were heading or who they were after or why. But apparently that would all be explained once they got there. Granted, that didn't alleviate anyone's stress, and in some regards made it worse.

Little did they know, this entire 'job' was simply a ploy to get them out of the way...

Harry had tried and tried and tried again. But it seemed no matter what he did, he just couldn't get it right. It was just too hard... It didn't work.

By now about a week had passed, and much of the characteristics Harry had finally formed, his energetic childlike happiness, finally escaping the fears of what his family did to him, they were gone. For the first day or two, Lorenzo tried (once) to not snap when Harry messed up the spell. However, with each consecutive failure, he became more and more agitated. He could see it now, Harry had the raw power, but something was keeping him from actually doing it. Had Beatrix put some sort of mental block on him to keep him from doing this? Or was his fear keeping him down? If it was the second option, Lorenzo wasn't helping with that. Harry felt the frightening feeling of his body being racked in pain as Lorenzo threw him to the ground after another round of failures. It wasn't just with the life gem either. They had brought a hellhound in one day to try and get Harry to fight it. However, the hound ended up being killed by Dahlia after they saw Harry wasn't going to hurt it.

Lorenzo was furious at Dahlia for killing the dog. Dahlia had simply retorted that it was better to dispose of one out of hundreds of dogs than a child with such immense power.

What she had done next, however, was something unexpected for Harry... He was in his 'bedroom', really just a small back room with nothing but him, his teddy bear and the pets inside it. Lorenzo had moved him here because he decided he didn't deserve comfort... Harry had been curled up on the floor, hugging his knees as Kitty, Peter, Hazel and Donald tried everything they could to cheer him up. Harry's eyes widened when the door opened. It was too early to be taken out again! Dahlia entered the room with a bag. He couldn't tell what was in it until she reached in and pulled out a bag containing fast food, which she handed to him.

"Eat." She said simply. Harry's eyes widened.

"B-But I'm not allowed to eat until I do better..."

"You haven't eaten in four days, and you're not going to do better if you don't build up your strength." Dahlia said sternly. "Hurry and eat so I can look at your injuries. The dog did a number on you."

Harry very slowly opened the bag and timidly began eating the food she had brought. Harry occasionally briefly looked up at Dahliah, confused as to why she was doing this. "I'm not going to set you free, but Lorenzo will keep doing worse until you do what he wants. If you're too weak to stand, this is going to get much, much harder for you." Harry teared up slightly as he kept eating. He wanted his mama... he wanted his mommy... Once he finished, Dahlia picked up him somewhat roughly and sat him on a chair, lifting up his shirt and began cleaning his wounds.

He knew better than to react to the stings of the disinfectant touching his injuries. Any reaction or expression of pain would just get him hurt... Dahlia, for her part, thought that her bosses were being foolish. They were going to wind up losing some of their best assets because of them. She respected Cerebella, Beatrix and Feng, even though it would be a cold day in hell before she actually showed it. They were valuable workers with genuine strength and skill. And she didn't doubt for a fraction of a second that they were going to become enemies to the mafia upon their return in three weeks...

Hell, she half expected Vitale and Lorenzo to be dead within a few weeks. That would be an inconvenience because her employers would be dead, but at the same time, Dahlia didn't genuinely care for anyone anymore. Once the boy was cleaned up, She told him to try and sleep before leaving. She saw Harry look to her with a pained expression, clearly not wanting to be alone, but the kid was gonna have to get used to it. He had the animals, but believed Lorenzo may kill them if Harry kept failing. While she respected the man, she knew he was as heartless as they came. That admittedly was part of why she respected him, he actually had the drive to do what he said he would, even if he burned every bridge along the way.

"Kid. If you value the lives of those animals, then I highly recommend you start to improve." She said seriously. The horror in the boy's eyes was enough to tell her she'd got the point across.

"But... But these aren't my pets...! They're mommy's, mama's and auntie Feng's...!" Harry said weakly, trying to find a reason Lorenzo would spare them.

"Yes. But they make you happy. That is reason enough for Lorenzo to dispose of them. To punish you."

Harry's face seemed to drain of all colour at that remark. Dahlia sighed and rubbed her face. "Kid, listen to me. This isn't going to get better unless YOU somehow manage to make that Life Gem. So figure it out." She said, before turning snd leaving. She shut the door behind her, leaving Harry in the darkened room, who slowly broke down into tears, terrified beyond words, and not knowing what else to do.

The pets went back to trying to console him, but to no avail. Harry was absolutely miserable and terrified. He hated this... He wanted his parents to come home...

Cerebella, Beatrix and Feng had been in town for almost a week now, and Beatrix was still seething over just how mundane the task they had been sent to perform was. "Selling crap... We were sent all the way out here... to sell crap on the freaking streets!" Beatrix roared in anger.

"I don't get it." Feng frowned. "Usually when we have a job, there's purpose behind it. Even if we have to hurt someone, it's because they owe them money. Why are we wasting our time doing this?"

"Hey, if they gave us a job, they did it for a reason." Cerebella countered, looking back to the two from the window of their hotel room. Beatrix seethed, and her eye aggressively twitched, and finally. Something snapped.

"No." She said in a eerily calm tone. "There's more to it, but you won't admit to it."

Cerebella blinked and turned to look at her girlfriend. "What? What are you talking about, Beatrix?" The magician snorted and crossed her arms.

"I think this was an excuse to get us out of the way for a while. I don't know why, but I get the feeling it involves Harry." Beatrix said coldly.

"...What are you trying to say, Beatrix?" Cerebella asked in a low voice, clearly not pleased by what her lover was insinuating.

Beatrix rubber her face. She really WAS that blinded... "Vitale seemed to be a bit too interested in Harry, probably for his power."

"Vitale wouldn't do that." Cerebella said, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Look, Beatrix. I miss Harry too. But we're here to do a job, and that's what we need to focus on."

"NO!" Beatirx snapped, surpassing the two women. "Damn it Cere! Do you not see that he's been using you all this time!?"

Cerebella went silent. "...You... You... Why would you say something like that?! Vitale loves me! He cares about me! I know he does!" Beatrix facepalmed.

"Then when was the last time he showed it?! He hasn't done anything for you since you were eight years old, he just...backed off and let one of Dahlia's girls look after you! Yeah, he pulled you off the street, but if you didn't have Vice-Versa, he wouldn't have even looked your way!"

"...Shut up..."

"He doesn't love you, Cerebella! He barely acknowledges you exist unless he wants you to do something for him! And he and his damn father have hurt WAY more people than they've helped! Extorting people until they go bankrupt! Slaughtering entire families for having something they want! Selling children out for slavery! Torturing prisoners in ways serial killers would think is too far! Bribing authorities so they can weasel their way out of punishment! And we're helping them do it all! We're all criminals! All of us are just crooks! We're hurting people! Destroying lives! We're the bad guys! And I'm tired of keeping quiet about it! Cerebella, I love you! Feng loves you! Harry loves you! And unlike Vitale, we show it! And no, being busy is not an excuse! It takes like, ten minutes for the guy to come by and say hi, but he never does! And hell, if you understand and you've been dealing with it in your own way, that'd be fine. But this isn't about you, this isn't about me, this is about HARRY. And if you won't see that, then I'm sorry, but Harry shouldn't be with you!"

A silence fell over the room, but internally everyone could've sworn they heard glass shatter. Cerebella froze, feeling almost numb form that last remark. If it was any other day (as of late), Beatrix would've felt like crap for saying something like that, but now, all she felt was anger, and oddly, a weight lifted off of her back. Finally, Cerebella turned around, tears in her eyes, and spoke:

"I was wrong. You never changed."

Not waiting for a reply, she shoved Beatrix out of the way and slammed the door behind her, leaving Feng and Beatrix alone in the room.

"I don't like it, and I don't want to agree with it, but you're right." Feng finally said.

Beatrix didn't reply at first. She sat down and hugged her knees close to her chest, then laughed bitterly. "Heh... Yeah... Fat lot of good it's doing me right now..."

"Aw, c'mon, Cerebella'll come around... She's just... stressed right now... Maybe she just needs time to think about what you said-"

"Tch... Yeah right... It's right in front of her face and she still doesn't see it... It'll take someone she loves getting seriously hurt by that slimy toad before she catches on... Tch... Think she'll still let me see Harry? Will it be like a joint custody thing? Or will she just cut me out completely?"

Feng didn't answer. She knew her friend could be stubborn and sometimes rash, but she wouldn't hurt Harry, would she? "I mean, i know it was kinda harsh, but she won't acknowledge the truth." Beatrix frowned. "No matter who kindly anyone says it, she'll keep defending that creep."

"Again... I have to agree." Feng frowned. "It's the only reason I'm still around here aside from Cerebella, I'm afraid he'll kill my mom's."

"It's just... I don't know WHY he'd be so interested in Harry." Beatrix sighed, rubbing her face. "He's got powerful magic, sure, but it's useless without my training."

"Most likely they're trying to manipulate him like they did Cerebella."

Beatrix clenched her fist and shook angrily. "No... No way in hell... No son of mine is gonna be manipulated into being like those bastards..."

"Yeah, I hear ya... I really hope you can undo whatever they try to teach him. But... Why do I have such a bad feeling in my gut...?" Feng softly questioned, clutching her stomach.

"...I swear... If they're hurting Harry... I will skin them alive and roll them in a pool of salt." Beatrix growled.

"Mmm..." Feng nodded solemnly, looking out the window. She didn't know if she could help her friend right now, and she was pretty sure Cerebella was pissed at her to for not saying anything to stop Beatrix. But the magician was right, Cerebella needed to hear it, and she needed to accept it. Working with someone because they took you in was one thing, but Cerebella was effectively blindly worshiping that man.

Two weeks had passed. Harry's treatment was getting worse. Lorenzo was effectively done being nice to him. His constant failure to create the life gem had resulted in more physical punishment. Essentially, Lorenzo tasked Vitale with torturing him in various ways in order to force him into creating the damned stone. Vitale had gone along with it with a cold sense of calm... Frankly, Dahlia would be lying if she said she wasn't the slightest bit disturbed. She had seen adults be tortured without batting an eye... But this? This was a child...

Still, she couldn't do much about it. She brought him food when they refused to give him any, and did her best to clean him up, and make sure his wounds weren't infected. She didn't know how to feel about the way Harry kept looking at her though. Sometimes she could swear he was asking "Why are you letting them do this?" and other times it was a simple "Thank you..." most of the time though, it was clear. He wanted his parents.

Right... his parents. They'd be back in about a week. And if she was honest, Dahlia wouldn't be surprised if the whole place was burned down a day or two after they got back. The other main issue she had to deal with was Regina. Every now and then she'd ask where Harry was, as she knew his parents were gone. Most of the time she accepted "With Vitale, he's fine." as she knew in a weird way, Vitale was technically Harry's grandfather, but she also seemed to be believe her less and less recently.

Hubrecht was also a problem, though to a lesser extent. He bought the same excuse she fed Regina, but he also wanted to visit Harry. He was buying the 'he's busy' excuse, but he was getting anxious... And Regina was quickly beginning to see right through her.

The boy was clearly in immense distress. It had been three weeks since he'd last been show even the slightest bit of affection. Dahlia didn't know why she did it... Buf she made a point to bring him up while training her squadron of women. One of them, a woman with long black hair, was deeply fond of children. And Dahlia knew that. That was why, in the dead of the night, Dahlia lurked in the shadows, watching silently as her subordinate snuck through the halls in search of Harry's room. So her gambit had succeeded...

Harry had seemed apprehensive about who this woman was, but when she showed him affection, he seemed so desperate that he didn't think twice. Dahlia had nodded in affirmation and then left. Maybe if Harry had some compassion shown, he'd be able to fulfill what Lorenzo wanted him to do. Still, she was beginning to think about trying to find a way to cut ties and get going before things got bad... She knew Beatrix wouldn't go on another job until she had seen her son, and then when she saw what had happened, Hell was going to break loose. Whatever, she'd figure something out...

Meanwhile...

"Aw, there, there sweetie." Harry kept his eyes shut, but let the new woman continue to hold him. She had appeared a few days ago, and at first Harry believed she was lying about wanting to be kind to him. But at this point, he was broken. Lies or not, he wanted to feel some sort of compassion. He was like a lost puppy at this point, feeling a sense of relief whenever she visited.

He slowly got to his feet and toddled his way over to her, his tiny arms reaching up for an embrace, which the raven haired woman known as Judy was all too eager to respond to, picking him up and cuddling him close. She and the other girls did far more than just work under Dahlia. They had their own lives outside of the Medicis, and Judy was a single mother with a toddler to care for. When she had learned from her leader just what was being done to the child under Lorenzo and Vitale's care, her heart broke, and she knew she had to do something, anything to ease his pain...

The tiny boy was also adorable! She had no idea how anyone could ever hurt someone like this little boy, but still, it was what it was... Harry on the other hand was still in absolute hell. The abuse dragged him back mentally to his old family, the life he lived before Cerebella found him. Had she known? Had his mama known this would happen, yet left him here anyways? Initially, Harry didn't believe it, but as time went on, he began questioning himself, and the ones he called 'family'.

Judy looked down at him and seemed to sense exactly what he was thinking. "No, Harry... Your mommy didn't expect this to happen to you at all... Neither of them did..."

Harry whimpered in response and looked down at the floor, trembling violently. "But... How... How do you... know...?"

"Well... Vitale raised her... He's like her father... She trusts him... Even if she really shouldn't... And Beatrix... Well, I doubt she expected you to be hurt at all, since Cerebella's so valued... But... hey... Try not to think too badly of your parents for this..."

"Mkay..." Harry mumbled. He would try, but it was hard. He fell asleep that night something telling him tomorrow wasn't going to be much better. His parents had left him to this, maybe they didn't mean to. But to someone as young and as damaged as Harry, what the truth really was, and how he saw things were occasionally hard to differentiate. He tried to sleep, and eventually his body gave in, but it wasn't peaceful. It hadn't been for nearly a month.

It was time to go home... Yet Cerebella and Beatrix hadn't spoken a word to one another ever since Beatrix went off on her tangent abouf the Medicis. Cerebella felt betrayed... How could Beatrix have said anything so awful to her?! Vitale cared! He did! She knew he did... And for her...girlfriend to say that... She didn't have the heart to break off their relationship though. In spite of her hurt feelings... Cerebella still found herself caring about the magician.

Not to mention what that would do to Harry... The poor thing... he was probably desperately waiting for them to get home. Still, she trusted Regina to be taking good care of him, but she couldn't wait to hug him again, to see his happy little face. She could just imagine holding him close, kissing his tiny head, hearing his precious laugh. She wanted it so badly!

Feng had somewhat became the moderator for the trio. While she didn't have the heart to say it to her, she knew Cerebella was wrong. She had no idea who Vitale really was. But... Beatrix had gone a bit far with her argument. Yet, for all her attempts to remain neutral, she found herself more often than not agreeing with Beatrix.

Beatrix was just miserable all the way through. She missed Harry, her girlfriend was mad at her, to the point where she wondered if she even had a girlfriend anymore, and her every instinct was just screaming at her that something was terribly wrong... She wasn't overly religious... But internally, she was praying... Praying to the trinity above that Harry was still okay... Unfortunately for all of them... He was far from it...

Lorenzo was fed up. "Dammit, we've tried everything, and the brat still won't make the damn stone! Even our worst methods wouldn't break him! Why can't he make it?!" Vitale sighed softly.

"All is not lost, father... Tom has been working on something. He's building a machine that can take the boy's magic away from him. Then, we could potentially give it to you so you yourself can create the gem." Vitale explained.

"Hrm... I was going to resort to destroying those filthy pets of his, but I suppose that WOULD be quicker... Sure. Everything else has failed, might as well try that." Lorenzo muttered. "Is it ready?"

"It should be ready tomorrow, the only thing is, it may kill him." Vitale replied.

"And that's a problem because...?" Lorenzo asked. "The kid won't fight, he has no control over his magic, what good is he to us?"

"Fair enough." Vitale nodded.

"So we take the kid's magic, then we should be able to make the damn gem. Anything else his powers may allow us to do?"

"I can't say. Until we see the full extent of his powers, it's hard to say."

"What are you gonna tell the brat's mother?"

"Hmph... We can put the blame on one of the family's enemies and kill two birds with one stone. Cerebella will destroy them in a rage..."

"Excellent! The life gem will be mine..." Vitale said with a gleeful smile, rubbing his hands together. Nearby, Dahlia was listening in, frowning intensely.

She sighed, casting a glance towards where Harry's room was, and then back to the other room. Well, what was she supposed to do? Let a kid die? Or try and stop them and lose her job? Unsurprisingly, she hadn't grown extremely attached to Harry, trying to keep him alive until his parents got back, then ready to disappear into the night until she found a better place to stay. But there was something about letting a kid be taken to his death that just... didn't sit right. She sighed, rubbing her face and took out her phone. She knew she may regret this, but it was worth a try.

'The Boss wants to know when you'll be back.'

On the train ride home, Cerebella was awoken by her phone buzzing. At first, she thought it may be someone calling to let Harry talk to her, but frowned when she saw the message form Dahlia.

'Tomorrow morning. And I'm not doing another job until I see Harry.'

Dahlia smirked. Then she looked over at the door to Harry's room. She decided it was time for an early retirement.

Sure, she was the best in the business. Top dog of the Medicis forces. A woman that could overcome anything.

But even she knew that there was nothing more terrifying to deal with than an angry mother.

Honestly, perhaps it was past time she left them anyway. She was getting much too old for this...

She headed to her room, with the intent to gather her underlings...

Harry meanwhile was crying in his room. By now, he had assumed his parents had abandoned him... and it's what he deserved, he was a freak... His pets tried to comfort him all month long, but they were confused. What were they supposed to do? Right now they surrounded him and just tried to help him rest.

The door opened, and in stepped Dahlia. Harry said nothing. He was simply too broken to muster up the energy to respond to her presence. Wordlessly, Dahlia picked him up, and he tensed up. "M-Miss Dahlia...?" He asked softly.

"We're leaving. Now." She said simply. Harry's eyes widened in slight fear.

"Wh-Why...? Where are you taking me...?"

Dahlia exhaled through her nostrils. "First, child, I'd like to make something quite clear... Any negative thoughts you're having about your mothers? Disregard them. Throw them away. Cerebella and Beatrix adore you. This is a fact. Never think otherwise. They never expected this to happen to you... Cerebella is a gullible, naive fool, but she would die to defend you... And Beatrix? Well... Blood will spill if she finds out what happened... Now, come... I have my ladies gathering your belongings as we speak. We are going to the train station to meet your mothers right now.

"But... but they..." Harry mumbled. Dahlia exhaled through her nose and tightened her grip on Harry on subconsciously. Harry whimpered and Dahlia looked down at him.

"Stop." She ordered. "This wasn't their fault. They had no idea what Vitale was going to do. Just... just remain silent for now, you can't let them know what's happening." Harry lowered his head and did as he was asked. He was afraid, but... he was going to see his parents...

Dahlia carried Harry outside silently. After years of practice, she knew her way around this entire place, and she knew how to be stealthy. She got outside with no hassle, Harry and pets in tow, and found the vehicle awaiting them. Silently, she buckled Harry into the backseat and placed Kitty, Peter, Hazel and Donald into pet carriers. She settled into the backseat with the boy, then nodded to Judy, who was in the driver's seat. "Train station. Now." Judy nodded solemnly, and they were off. Harry was silent and still as the grave as they drove. Dahlia couldn't really blame him, honestly. The boy was traumatized... Long before this, even... Sighing, she looked down at her phone. It contained pictures of what Vitale had done to Harry. Evidence that would finally get Cerebella to see reason... And she had every intention of sending it to make this process as quick and painless as possible...

Cerebella was sitting boredly in her seat, when she felt the buzzing of her phone. Groggy, she looked at it... and her heart dropped at the text she was sent.

'Vitale tortured your son.'

'Stop joking, this isn't funny. 'She replied, genuinely angered. She didn't see the pictures right away, and she wasn't expecting what she got in response.

'I know for some reason you love him, and maybe you're as dumb as everyone says your are, but you need to see the truth he's a monster. He and Lorenzo were going to kill Harry so they could make the damn life gem. They're not good people, and if you can't see that, then Harry isn't safe with you.'

Cerebella was beyond furious now, but when she scrolled down somewhat, she saw the pictures of Harry. He was burned, beaten, bleeding, scarred, starved... It was a nightmare. It was worse then when she found him. Her son was in so much pain, he was terrifed, broken... What had she done? She had left him there! Beatrix had-

Wait. Beatrix.

"...Selling children out for slavery! Torturing prisoners in ways serial killers would think is too far! Bribing authorities so they can weasel their way out of punishment! And we're helping them do it all! We're all criminals! All of us are just crooks! We're hurting people! Destroying lives! We're the bad guys! And I'm tired of keeping quiet about it!"

She knew.

She knew all along.

And Cerebella refused to listen. And now her son was near death.

Vitale... Vitale did it... Her own father figure... He mutilated her son... Her Harry... Vitale was pulling off a fingernail in one of the pictures... He was beating him with a bat... Waterboarding him... Strangling him... And worse... So much worse...

Oh God... All this time, she was worshipping a monster.

Cerebella couldn't see anymore. Her eyes were blinded by her tears, and she was hyperventilating. All the noise awoke her two travelling companions, who looked over groggily to see Cerebella in a state of hysteria.

"Great... what's wrong now?" Beatirx muttered, having somewhat returned to the Beatrix of old as the month had dragged on. She really wanted to make Cerebella happy, but she also knew that Cerebella wouldn't listen to her. Now, she was left questioning if she should leave, or leave and take Harry with her, or stay and try to make it work. Feng got up and picked her friends phone, believing it was hers, he eyes widened in terror when she saw the messages.

"Oh my God... No... No... No no no no no no no no no..." The petite juggler was sharing in Cerebella's panic.

"What?! What the hell's happening?!" Beatrix exclaimed with narrowed eyes. Feng looked at her with tears in her eyes.

"It's... It's Harry..."

Eyes wide, Beatrix snatched the phone away and read through the message set.

She looked up from the phone and directly at Cerebella. She didn't care if she was crying. She didn't care if she was hurt. Her son had been nearly killed. And FINALLY Cerebella seemed to to be realizing that. "Now do you believe me?" Beatrix scowled. Cerebella met her gaze, her look broken.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." She whispered. "I can't believe I was so blind..." Some of the anger subsided in the magician as she sat back and sighed, her eyes tearing up as well.

"This is your fault." She finally said, shocking the other two in the car. "And yours." She added looking to Feng. "And mine." A silence overcame the trio until Beatrix continued with her almost soulless explanation.

"I knew what he was like, but I didn't stop him. Feng knew that you didn't know the truth and didn't tell you, and you were so blinded by love for the monster that raised you... and look what that got us. Harry was tortured. And we have no one to blame but ourselves."

"Uh, and Lorenzo and Vitale." Feng growled. "Normally I wouldn't condone this, but if you're able to open one of your hell portals and summon some sort of pissed off warrior to rip and tear them apart for what they did. This is the time." The other two women looked to Feng, never having seen her this angry. "How are we going to to explain this to Harry?" Feng muttered.

Beatrix looked down at Cerebella's phone, then typed in a simple question... 'Where is Harry now?'

They waited for several minutes for a response, and Beatrix hurriedly read it the second she felt the phone buzzing.

'He is with me. We are on our way to meet up with you at the train station. Your belongings and pets have been packed to go. I highly recommend calling someone for a place to stay, as I doubt you will be welcomed back with open arms.'-

'...Can we talk to Harry please?' Another minutes passed before Beatrix seemed hurt by something.

"What is it?" Cerebella asked, her heart racing a mile a minute.

'Harry is in a state where he isn't talking right now, he doesn't seem to understand how the phone works either. I think he's still afraid if he makes a sound they'll find him. BTW, he said multiple times over the past month that he believed you abandoned him and left him to suffer. I've done what I can to convince him otherwise, but he seems... broken.'

"Oh my God..." Cerebella buried her face into her hands. "Oh God no... No... My baby... How... Why am I such an idiot?!"

"We... We would never abandon him to that..." Feng whimpered. "Harry... Oh Harry..."

Beatrix simply sent another text: 'Put him on. We'll do the talking...'

It took about ten minutes, ten of the most painful minutes any of them had been through, until they finally got a message.

'hi'

'Harry, we love you.' Beatirx immediately texted back. 'We had no idea this was going to happen. We never would've left if we knew what he was going to do to you. We promise you.'

'oh'. Was all that came back. A few minutes later:

'it hurts everything hurts why did this happen was it because im a freak'

Beatirx felt her eyes tearing up again as she read the message. Even over the text messages, she could hear how broken he was. He was terrifed, he didn't know what to do. and DAHLIA of all people was the only one seeming to currently give a crap about him.

'No, Harry... It's not your fault at all... We made a big mistake and you paid the price for it... Your mommy and auntie and I love you... We're coming back soon, and then we're all getting away from there.'

'i missed you... i wish you didn't go away... i wanna be happy again...'

'I'm so sorry, Harry... I promise we will never leave you like this again... From now on, at least one of us will always be with you...'

'i want a hug...'

That is when Beatrix broke. She couldn't reply, she just began crying. Four words. That was all it took. Four simple words to completely break her. The abuse, the torture, the feelings of rejection and isolation, and then the one thing he wanted at the end of it all, he just wanted to hug them. Beatrix remembered back on Harry's birthday when she had hugged him close and he had kissed her, she now realized how much that meant to Harry.

Tears in her eyes, Cerebella took her phone back and typed in Dahlia's number. Texting wasn't enough to satisfy her urge to speak to her son. She wanted to hear his voice... The phone rang, and she heard a click to signify it was answered. "So you want to speak to him. Well then. I'll put him on."

After a moment, Cerebella spoke. "H-Harry...? Sweetie...?"

"M..Miss Cerebella?" The three could hear his broken voice, and it felt like a knife had cut through all three of them. Harry sounded broken, but... he was talking to them, so that was something.

"I'm here honey, Beatirx and Feng are with me as well."

"Miss Beatirx? Miss Feng?"

"...Harry...?" Cerebella spoke softly, tearing up. "D-Do you...not see us as your mothers anymore...?"

Harry bit back tears on the other end of the phone. "I...I just wanted to make sure it was you... M-Mommy... I'm scared... I'm so scared... I want you and mama and auntie Feng... I want us to be happy together, I...I don't like Mr. Vitale, mommy... Please don't be mad at me..."

Feng took the phone, seeing Cerebella was about to break down crying. Surprisingly, Beatrix got up and tried to comfort Cerebella. Despite all that was happening, she couldn't help but let a smile form on her face at the sight. "Hi honey." Feng said softly. "It's me, Auntie Feng. We're all here. Don't worry, we'll be home soon, and then we'll never let you go again. We promise, you will NEVER be hurt again."

"You... you said that when mam- Miss- Mama took me in." Harry said quietly, stumbling over his words to find the right one.

Feng winced at his words. She was sure he didn't intend to drop such a harsh truth, but... the truth hurt deeply...

"...I know, honey... I'm sorry... It was a bad place to make a promise like that... Surrounded by bad people... There's no way we could have kept that promise... But we're moving away... I don't know where to, but we're moving from them... It's gonna be okay now... And... I hope someday you can trust us again..."

"...mkay." Was all Feng got in response.

"We're pulling into the station." Dahlia commented. "Your train should be here in two or three minutes."

Feng sighed and nodded, looking to the other two, but when she saw their state, she decided to leave it be. "We'll see you then." She remarked, before hanging up. She put the phone down and rubbed her face, horrified at what had happened.

She pulled out her own phone and made a call to her parents. There was a moment of silence before it rang, and there was an answer. "Hey, kiddo, what's- Amber, quiet down, I'm on the phone." Feng chuckled weakly at her mothers usual lighthearted antics. Krystal, the moody goth bat feral, and Amber, the cheery, hyperactive basketcase, were able to lighten the mood of any situation with their usual dynamic... But this time, it helped little.

"H-Hi, mom... I uh... Are you...on your way home right now...?"

"...What happened, Feng? You sound like someone kicked your kitten down a well." There was a brief scuffle on the other end before Feng heard the voice of her other mother.

"Oh my gosh, sweetie, what's wrong?! Who made you sad?! Am I gonna have to beat someone? No one hurts my baby girl!"

"Listen, something happened. You remember the little kid I was telling you Cerebella adopted?"

"Yes? what about him?"

"Oh... It... it's the Medici's. They tortured him. And... we don't know where to go right now, Cerebella... finally put it together, and we aren't going back to the circus. I don't know if they'll come after you, but..." The other end of the line was silent, the two older women shocked beyond words.

"Where are you right now?" Krystal asked seriously.

"On... On a train... We're coming back from the job they sent us on so we'd...be away so we couldn't save Harry..."

"Our train is just pulling into the station, sweetie, we'll meet you there..." Amber cooed.

"Right... But we can't go to our place. They know where we live... We need to figure out a place to hide..." Krystal mused.

"...I think I know who can help us..." Feng turned to Cerebella. "Cerebella... You got that big instrument guy's phone number... Call him... He said he'd help with an emergency, and...well...it's an emergency..."

"Huh? Oh... right..." She muttered, passing her phone over to Feng.

"Listen, I hate to do this, but I'll call you in a few minutes. Please, stay safe." Feng said quietly.

"Of course dear, you too." Feng hung up and sighed. She had no idea how her life had gotten to this point, but frankly she was sick of it. She looked at the number and hit call, she didn't really care what this guy thought about them working with Medici, she just cared about Harry... After a few moments, a deep voice answered.

"Hey... who is this?"

"Uh, my name's Feng." Feng answered, now feeling afraid for some reason.

"Right, The Medici woman." The man replied.

"Listen, that's why I'm calling. My friend Cerebella, she met you a while ago, and... we need your help."

"No offence kid, but I'm not a mercenary." Big Band replied, not getting the point. "I haven't worked, and don't intend to work for the Med-"

"A child was tortured by them for a month can you please help!?" Feng snapped, not having expected to. The line went silent, until the voice asked.

"A kid? Hang on... the little guy with black hair?"

"Yes! They sent everyone close to him away so that they could try to force him to do whatever they wanted! When he couldn't do it, they tortured him! We...We can't go back to them... We WON'T go back to them! We...We just don't know what to do..."

."...How many people are disbanding?"

"...Six..."

"Listen... The lab's got plenty of room, so I'll come pick ya up... Where do ya wanna meet?"

"New Meridian Train Station."

"Right... Just hang tight. I'll be there..."

"Thank you..." Feng sighed as she hung up. "Okay, we have a place to stay for the night..." Cerebella was about to say something, but she heard the sounds of the brakes squealing as the train slowly came to a stop. The three looked out the window, seeing they were pulling into the station. The three got up and left their car, heading to where they would get out.

"Can I even face him?" Cerebella said quietly.

"Yes. You can." Beatrix said matter-of-factly. "You took him in, you cared for him, you-"

"Left him there." Cerebella said quietly.

"Uh, they okay?" A dark skinned man with reddish hair asked, looking up from his phone as they passed. Feng was trailing behind, trying to give them space.

"It's a long story." Feng sighed.

"Ah, I get it. I'm heading a few towns over after some... you know what? Never mind. Best of luck to you. Hope things get better for them." The man nodded, turning and walking away. Feng felt... relieved, it seemed like that was one more stranger showing them kindness when they didn't deserve it.

The three women stepped out from the train, looking around for Harry. The first thing they noticed was Feng's parents rushing over to them.

Krystal was a taller than average, rather fierce looking woman. Pale as a ghost with long black hair, blank grey eyes, and a pair of bat wings where her arms would be, as well as a pair of ears and sharp fangs. She wore a simple outfit of a black tank top and a pair of jeans.

Amber was a petite woman, only up to Krystal's hip. Her long brown hair was tied into a ponytail that ran down her back. Her chocolate brown eyes lackes their usual excitement. She wore a blue t-shirt and a white miniskirt.

Both women reached the group, and the first thing Amber did was pull her daughter into a tight hug. "Oh, Feng... This must be so hard on you... My poor girl..." Normally, Feng would playfully protest this smothering treatment in public... But right now, she just hugged back.

As for Krystal, she went straight for Cerebella and Beatrix. "...I'd ask if you were doing okay... But I guess that'd be a stupid question under the circumstances. So, this is your new frenemy, huh?"

"G-Girlfriend...actually..." Cerebella stuttered in a shakey voice. "H-Harry's other mom..."

Krystal blinked in surprise, then smirked slightly. "Well, she's quite the looker. You're one lucky little lady... Now come here. Both of you." She draped her wings around Cerebella and Beatrix and pulled them into a hug.

Cerebella leaned into the hug immediately and hugged back, her shoulders shaking slightly. Beatrix tensed up at the sudden embrace, but made no effort to get out of it. She...They needed this...

"Hey." A voice said in a flat tone. The group turned and saw Dahlia standing next to a map of the train branches. "Were you followed?"

"No." Beatirx and Cerebella said in unison. "Where's Harry?!"

"Hold on." Dahlia said, walking off. She came back a minute later holding Harry. When the women saw the condition Harry was in, there was a collective gasp. Harry timidly looked up at Cerebella and Beatrix, but he didn't seem to react too much, as if he was trying to decide what he was going to say or do.

Damn... Those bastards... Hurting such an adorable little guy like this..." Krystal whispered.

Cerebella and Beatrix moved out of the bat feral's embrace and slowly approached their traumatized son. He looked up at them with wide eyes, looking like a kicked puppy. "H-Harry..." Cerebella breathed, slowly taking him into her arms. "Oh my God... Harry... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I didn't think they'd ever hurt you..."

"M-Mommy... I'm scared... They wanna hurt me really bad because I can't make a good life gem for Mr. Lorenzo..."

"MOTHERF**KER!" Beatrix suddenly screamed, startling everyone, Dahlia included. When she saw their confused (and somewhat offended look) she scowled and explained: "Making a life gem is a process where in someone gives up their magical core in order to power it, granting it's user immortality. When people make them, it's usually used on the creator. If someone as young as Harry tried to make it, first of all, he can't. Even with his powers. Secondly, it would KILL HIM. That's not an 'if', but 'when'."

Cerebella bit her lip and hugged Harry close. It broke her heart just how unresponsive he was... The last time she saw him he was cuddling up with a smile on his face... Oh GOD why was she such an idiot?! Beatrix stepped up next, joining in the family hug. The warmth between the three just wasn't there anymore...

"Hm." Dahlia said. "You've got this covered." As she turned to leave, Feng stopped her.

"Why?" She asked.

"What?"

"After everything you've done for Lorenzo and Vitale, why was this the limit?"

"Honestly? It wasn't as much to do with Harry, and more to do with what those two were going to do to them when they found out." Dahlia admitted. "Also, threatening a kid to do something is admittedly pretty crappy, so is hitting said kid when he isn't able to do something not even Beatrix could do, but trying to rip out his magical core and kill him in the process... I'm not like Lorenzo, maybe I still have standards."

"Thank you." Feng finally said. "..Do you have somewhere to go?"

"Yes. That's all I'm saying about it." Dahlia said as she walked off. "Tell those two to maybe think twice before leaving a kid alone for a month. Otherwise the tears may be for a different reason."

Feng winced. "Hey... in our defense, we thought he was staying with Regina..." Dahlia paid her no heed and kept walking.

The group of six turned to each other. "...Looks like I'm gonna be putting my skills as a therapist to use here..." Krystal said softly. Then the pets began trying to get their owners' attention from their carriers.

Beatrix sighed and handed Harry to Feng as she went to check on the pets. Harry looked up at Feng and nervously snuggled into her arms, still shivering. Feng looked him over and her heart broke, Harry seemed much thinner than when she last saw him, and he was noticeably bruised and scarred. "...Harry...what did they do to you..." She whispered.

"A...A lot of stuff... They... They were really bad, mean people... Why did mommy like them so much...?"

"Because... they manipulated her... They pretended to love and care for her so she'd do stuff for them... And they did it for so long that she became kinda... dependant on it... So much that she just sorta lost her common sense.." Harry briefly wondered if Cerebella and Beatrix had done that to him before squashing that thought down. They had never asked much from him... All they had done was help him and give to him...

"Oh..." He said quietly, still looking down cast. Feng sighed slightly, angered with herself for not having thought that maybe the two people who would kill someone for no logical reason maybe WEREN'T the best people to leave a broken and tiny boy with for a month. Regardless of who he was supposed to be staying with. "Harry, these are my parents." Feng remarked, deciding to try and raise his spirits a bit. She adjusted the tiny boy in her arms and let him look up.

"H..Hi..." He said after a few moments of silence. It was clear to Feng he didn't want to talk, but was trying to do his best for them anyways.

Amber bit her lip and put her hand on the boy's cheek gently, stroking it with her thumb. "Hello, you sweet little thing... Oh, you're just the cutest little thing I've ever met in my life..."

Krystal looked Harry over with a frown. "Hey, Feng... Let me hold him for a sec, okay?" Nodding, Feng passed Harry over to her mother. Krystal wrapped him in her wings, leaving only his tiny head visible, and hugged him close. "It's okay..." She whispered. "You don't have to say anything until you're ready... Just relax for now..."

Harry blinked but eventually snuggled a bit closer. Miss Krystal seemed really nice, and she held him gently... There was something about her that Harry latched onto. It was a feeling similar to the one he got when his mommy held him. He felt safe and secure in her arms, or he had, but he also could see she was really sad about something, and Harry's fears of them knowingly leaving him behind were fading fast. But that wasn't the only thing fading fast, and the exhaustion and fear seemed to catch up with him, and Harry fell asleep in the warm wings that were holding him.

Krystal gave him a small smile and kissed the top of his head before looking at her daughter. "Heh... Now this is a feeling I've missed... Remember the blankie arms, Feng?" She teased lightly.

Feng smiled softly. "Heh... Yeah... That was what I looked forward to every night... Heh... Some nice warm blankie arms are just what the little guy needs right now..."

Harry squirmed slightly, letting out a tiny whimper. Krystal let out a sad coo and rubbed his back gently with her claws. It seemed to work, and Harry seemed to calm down. "Beatrix... What do we do now?" Cerebella quietly asked. "After what happened... we can't go back, I won't go back, Harry's traumatized..."

"I know. But we'll figure it out. Together." Beatrix said softly. "Cere... I'm sorry I snapped at you at the beginning of the month, I-"

"Don't you DARE apologize for that!" Cerebella suddenly snapped, surprising the magician. "You were right, you were right the whole time, and I didn't listen. And look what that got us."

Beatrix fell silent, looking down at the ground and clenching her fists. "I wanna kill them... When I get my hands on those bastards, I'm gonna dismember them...Slowly and painfully..."

"Tch... I know... That bastard never loved me... He... He used me... I... I really was just an orphan this whole time..."

"That isn't true." Amber's voice cut in as she approached her. "Cerebella... You know you've always been like a second daughter to us..."

"...thank you..." Cerebella said quietly, her whole body seeming deflated. "But after everything, Feng only remained there because they would've killed you, and-"

"But you're not them." Amber cut her off again. "You were never a monster like them. I think Krystal's current state implies that somewhat. Not to mention that you seem more devastated than anyone I've ever seen. You may have been raised by them, but you're nothing like them."

Cerebella bit her lip and teared up. Krystal stepped over. "Hey, kiddo... Don't think that this is your fault, okay? It's all the fault of those manipulative dirtbags... But hey... Now that Vitale's out of the picture... We got something to ask ya."

"Ooh, yes!" Amber squealed, pulling Cerebella into a hug. "Cerebella, you've been like our second daughter and Feng's sister... So the second we get the chance, we're gonna have you officially adopted into our family, age be damned."

Cerebella was left in shocked silence. This was something that had never even crossed her mind. Feng was her best friend, practically her sister... She couldn't ask her to do this, but it was clear her parents wanted to do this. She looked over to Feng with tears in her eyes, but unlike the ones she had shed previously, these were happy, hopeful even. "O...Okay..." She finally got out.

Feng smiled widely and pulled her friend into a hug. "Aww... Welcome to the family, sis... Glad to have ya... Oh! And Harry has official grandparents now too!" Cerebella was openly sobbing now. It was a variety of things that made her cry... Pain... Heartbreak... Fear... And the one good thing that came out of this whole mess and brought her just a little bit of joy when she needed it most... she felt her new family embrace her, and slowly, calmed down.

A few minutes passed, and the sound of a van pulling in could be heard. Beatrix seemed a bit apprehensive, but Feng stepped up. "Relax, this is the guy I was on the phone with." She remarked.

However, it was not Big Band who stepped out. Instead, woman walked onto the platform. When Cerebella saw the figure, she felt her heart sink again. "You..." She whispered.

"Oh, wasn't expecting to see you again." Nadia blinked. "Kinda thought you'd still be with..." She trailed off when she saw how absolutely broken Cerebella seemed in the moment. "Oh..."

Nadia chuckled softly, rubbing the back of her head. "Well... If it makes ya feel any better, I can't exactly go home either... Gotta go into hiding, cause I'm... y'know... legally dead and all..."

"You're a part of the Fishbone Gang... The guys that stole Lorenzo's precious life gem." Beatrix remarked in recognition.

"Guilty as charged... And I'd do it again, even if I did have to relive getting cut up..."

"I'm sorry..." Cerebella breathed. "Oh God I'm so sorry..."

"Wait a sec... right..." Nadia remarked after thinking about something. "You had a kid right?"

"She's holding him." Feng remarked, pointing to Krystal.

"Right. Cool." She nodded. "Are they looking for you... or..."

"Not as of yet." Beatrix remarked. "They don't know we've left, which we probably should. Come morning, they'll know what's happened."

Nadia nodded her head. "Well, the guys I've been bunking with sent me out to grab ya, so load up your stuff and we'll be on our way." The group packed in their luggage in the large trunk before climbing into the vehicle. Krystal continued to hold Harry. Cerebella, Feng and Beatrix held the carriers for their respective pets. Amber held a small handful of items that wouldn't go in the trunk.

As they drove, it was clear there was a bit of awkwardness between Cerebella and Nadia. Neither wanted to look at the other, and it was for some reason getting to Beatrix. "Look, I'm sorry for what they did, I really am." She began, and Nadia looked to her.

"Huh? Oh, no. It's not that." She shook her head. "We uh... we met a month or two ago. It was kind of awkward."

"Awkward, huh? How so?" Beatrix asked.

"Well, I just dragged myself out of the bottom of the ocean, was in a bit of a rush to get away from the area, bumped into her out walking with her kit, and I kinda tried to push her away from the Medicis a little bit, heh..."

"Oh, so you two fought?" Beatrix asked, a bit of a flat smirk in her tone.

"No, I stole the kti for a minute then gave him back after saying some really cryptic stuff." Nadia admitted. "Yeah... I'm sorry about that, didn't mean to frighten the kit."

"You had your reasons, I don't like that you did it to Harry... but I should've listened." Cerebella admitted quietly.

"Eh... Like I said, I was pretty dang cryptic... Makes sense that ya might not have caught on to what I was telling you."-

Cerebella laughed bitterly. "Yeah... I am pretty stupid..." Amber thumped the back of her head gently.

"Hey! No daughter of mine is gonna insult themself around me!"

At this point, Harry began to wake up, squirming slightly as he did so. "Mama?" He mumbled. Beatrix sadly smiled, taking Harry from Krystal and holding him close.

"We're here sweetie. You're safe now." She said softly. Harry, still mostly alseep, seemed to hold onto her leotard and snuggle in, trying to feel the safety he had before.

"Mama... I'm sorry... I'm happy you're here again, but... I can't show it... And I don't understand why..." He whimpered softly.

"Trauma has that effect on people, kiddo... Especially little kids..." Krystal said gently.

"Shh... just rest hon." Beatirx said calmly, rocking Harry in her arms. She had wanted this so badly... for a month she had been wanting to hold her son close, to feel him snuggle close, and now... his state was heartbreaking. Still, it was clear Harry wanted to love them, he wanted them to take care of him, so the fear of him hating them was somewhat subsided. As Harry leaned into her embrace, Beatrix sighed, thinking about what had happened. Her girlfriend hated her for a month, her son was nearly killed, she couldn't go home, and a woman who would kill any of the adults in this van without hesitation was the one who kept her son safe.

She didn't really understand why Dahlia was so willing to jump in and protect Harry... That woman was one of the coldest, most vicious killers she had ever known. She'd expect her to jump at the first opportunity to torture something, child or not... She never liked the woman even despite that. She was a smug, arrogant bitch that talked down to everyone.

Yet... She had to feel grateful... So... so grateful...

Then again, she had kind of made her point. If she and Cere did return, Lorenzo and Vitale would be burning in hell right now. Along with most of their enforcers and anyone else who worked for them. Come to think of it, she probably did this just to be able to claim 'she wasn't like them'. Or maybe... maybe there was more to her than Beatrix knew. She doubted it, she knew that wasn't the case, but she wanted to think of more than one option.

She exhaled through her nose. Honestly her fearing them made little sense. She was much better than them, in every way imagineable... She could kill her without batting an eye... So... it may be that she just... had some good in her... It would not make up for the awful things she had done, but... she wasn't pure evil... Vitale and Lorenzo were going to die though. Of that she would be certain.

She didn't know how, or when. But that they were going to. And that it would be extremely painful. But for now, she turned her attention back to her son. The thought had crossed her mind that maybe Vitale was using Harry to find them, maybe see how they reacted? No... that made no sense. They needed Harry to make that God-forsaken life gem, so they wouldn't just hand him over like that...

And Vitale would never risk losing Cerebella's support on such an insane gambit... He'd lost it anyway, but due to things out of his control. She shuddered. Just how did those men expect to cover this up from them?! Blame one of their enemies for Harry's death?! Yes... That was exactly what they planned to do... There was no trace of a doubt... And Cerebella would have fell for it...

As much as she loved that woman, she... she could be somewhat naive, almost stupid at times... But that wasn't her fault. She had been raised to believe something, and she believed it. Fake love was still powerful, but in a sick and twisted way. Beatrix was the other side of that idea, she had never been shown love, and she came out bitter and angered. She had agreed to work for Vitale because he arranged for her dad to be killed... After something like that, she really couldn't say too much about Cerebella making bad choices concerning who she trusted. Okay, yes she totally could. But she wasn't going to.

She looked at her despondent lover and smiled sadly before gently passing Harry over to her. She looked at her miserably. "Go on. Take him. Maybe hugging our boy will cheer you up a bit." Cerebella bit her lip before slowly taking Harry into her arms.

Cerebella seemed... awkward. That was new. She never really cared who she saw holding (either in a fight or in a hug) but then again, she also felt terrible. Harry looked up at her, his emerald eyes seemed less colourful then when she had last seen them. She sniffed slightly, then held Harry close to her chest, putting him into a tight hug, not wanting to let go... "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." She whispered to him.

"M-Mommy..." He whispered softly. Cerebella began to tear up, biting her lip and squeezing him gently.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry..." The acrobat sobbed softly, repeatedly stating her apologies.

Harry just tried to hug Cerebella. He knew she didn't mean to hurt him... she loved him! And he loved her. she hoped she would be able to tell that... A (seemingly long forgotten) feeling welled up inside him, love. He felt loved by his parents, he felt love for them. He... he wanted them to be happy...

Harry weakly reached up with his tiny hands and wiped the tears off of his mother's face, much to her surprise. He gave her the best smile he could muster up. He wanted to reassure her, just like she had always done for him. "It's okay, mommy... I still love you... and mommy... and auntie Feng..." He said softly.

Cerebella let out a shaky breath and smiled, pulled his head close to her breast and kissed the top of his head. She felt like a weight she couldn't move had just evaporated. Harry... Harry said he loved her. That's all she needed right now. She knew in the coming days she'd be confused, depressed, most likely ROYALLY pissed off, but right now, she had her son. That's all that mattered.

Beatrix felt the weight lift off her shoulders as well. She wanted to torture Lorenzo and Vitale in absolutely inhuman ways... But she still her her child's love... Even Feng was tearing up slightly. She reached over and gently stroked his head. She was so happy to be back with her nephew... Her sister... Her parents... All together again... "I love you too, Harry... We all do..." Cerebella whispered softly.

Cerebella's eyes widened when she felt Harry try to hug her waist. She had missed this... Her child's love, his tiny self snuggling close to her, trying to hug her... She realized now even more how much of a mistake it was to leave. 'Never again...' She thought. 'Until he's old enough or those two are dead, I'm not letting Harry out of my sight.' But for now, she wrapped her arms around the small boy and pulled him closer, a wide smile on her face now.

Her family was back together and out of harm's way... Everything was going to be okay... Wait... "...The circus... What are we gonna do about the circus?" Cerebella asked. "Regina, Hubrecht and Talliesin are all alone over there..."

"They're just gonna have to make do without us." Beatrix said simply. "I'm not putting my kid at risk just to entertain the slovenly masses."

"...still, should we tell them what happened? Tell them we're okay?" Cerebella asked quietly. She knew at least Regina and Hubrecht weren't like the others, and Talliesin... honestly, she didn't like him that much.

"No." Beatrix shook her head. "Not for awhile. Lorenzo will go to them to ask what happened, and if they knew, then it'll make it easy for them to find us." It was clear Cerebella didn't like that answer, but knew it was true. "Cere, we can get in contact with them later, if they know we're out there, they'll probably be killed. It's not just for our safety, but theirs."

Cerebella bit her lip. She certainly didn't want to worry her friends, but it really did seem like there wasn't much of a choice... "Ugh... This whole situation is seriously messed up..." Cerebella groaned. "I hope they're able to keep the circus running without us..."

"Well, they'll have to find a new star attraction." Feng chipped in.

"Hopefully they find someone better to run it..." Beatrix grumbled.

"If need be, Regina probably could." Feng shrugged. Beatrix thought it over for a moment, then nodded.

"I... I was supposed to be with Miss Regina while you were gone. What happened?"

"Vitale lied to us... That's what happened..." Beatrix groaned. "He set this whole thing up... He just wanted us out of the way..."

"Oh... Because he didn't want you to... to stop... him from... hurting me..." Whimpering, Harry buried his face into Cerebella's chest.

"Aw, Harry... You know you don't have to hold it in... Go on and cry... Just let it all out..." Cerebella cooed

Harry didn't want to, but eventually he broke down, and cried into her chest. Cerebella sighed sadly and held him gently, knowing this was what he needed... he needed to cry, and she needed to hold him. She rocked him slowly as he cried trying to be as soothing as possible.

Beatrix shimmied her way over, feeling obligated to be a part of this, and gently pulled her lover and son into a small group hug. Feng, Krystal and Amber watched with sad frowns, not daring to interfere. This was a moment that the three of them needed to have just between them...

Cerebella was heartbroken, but buried deep down, she knew there was hope. She had Beatrix, she had Harry, she had Feng and her parents... They were hurt, all of them. That couldn't be denied. But now, there was a chance that things could get better. She was finally breaking away from the ones who used her for so long, now having to not only face the truth of that, but the effects of what they did to her. And more importantly, to her son.

They didn't know how long they had stayed like that... All they knew was that they had remained in each other's embrace for the entire ride. The vehicle slowly pulled into an underground garage, and there stood Big Band himself. "Nice work, Nadia. You got 'em here safe and sound."

"Yeah, no one knew we were there, and no one knew we were leaving." She shrugged. "Hey, you may want to get the doc up, the kid seems to be in rough shape."

"Already waiting." Big Band replied. "He's ready to make sure there isn't anything lasting that happened to the kid."

"Aside from the mental trauma..."

Cerebella winced as she approached Big Band, looking down at the floor, unwilling to meet his gaze. "I hoped you'd realize that they were no good for ya, little lady... But not like this... Never like this..."

"...You were trying to tell me that all along, weren't you...? That's what you meant when you said to... to think critically..."

"Maybe." He shrugged. "Still, for better or for worse, that's behind you."

"Still, what happened... I..." Cerebella muttered.

"Hey, you don't need to talk about it if you're not ready." Big Band said calmly. "C'mon, the Doc's waiting for the kid, let's get him patched up."

The group followed the large man down the corridors, noting several strange characters as they went. There was a shark dagonian in a labcoat, a woman that looked to be made entirely out of intestines that greeted them politely, a teenage boy with mechanical arms, a girl with a strong bee motif, and they passed a room that seemed to be blaring cartoons on the other side. "Heh... Yeah, they're an unusual bunch, but they look out for each other... Found me wandering around and they gave me a place to stay and pretty much accepted me as one of their own... And I'll bet they're willing to do the exact same for you." Nadia explained.

"We're thankful for that." Feng replied, Cerebella didn't seem to be in the mood to talk right now. It was clear her past and some of the things the people she had worked for had done made her feel... awkward, to say the least.

"Sup Nad?" A man waved as he walked by, dragging a cart of cleaning supplies behind him. "Doc's lookin' for ya."

"Thanks." She nodded. She turned and looked at Cerebella and Beatrix. "End of the hall, the doc'll take care of the kid."

"Thanks..." Beatrix said softly as the small group made their way to the door that was pointed out to them.

Upon opening it, they saw an elderly man in a lab coat awaiting them. "Ah, hello ladies and young man... I've been expecting you."

Beatirx looked sadly down at her son, who was clutching to her arm, his body language clear he didn't want to let go. "If you could bring him over here, I'll see what's happened and what we'll need to do."

"Thanks." Beatrix nodded, carrying Harry over and setting him on the table, but continuing to hold his hand.

Harry squeezed Beatrix's hand as tightly as he could, and she squeezed back. Cerebella stepped up to grab his other hand while Feng and her parents took a backseat.

"Hey, um...sir? Are we allowed to bring pets? Because we brought a cat, two rabbits and a duck with us..." Feng said sheepishly.

"Oh, that's no trouble at all. I'm sure the children would love to have some animals around the lab..." Dr. Avian replied with a smile.

Harry still seemed... distant, as if some fear had re-emerged, but that was to be expected. "So, I know this may be painful, but can you tell me what happened?" Dr. Avian asked, looking to Harry. The tiny boy blinked, then looked down, clearly afraid to say anything. "Hm... that tells me something already..."

"Harry, it's okay." Beatrix said softly.

"Well it... It started when mommy and mama left to go on a job for a month... I... I was with Mr. Vitale..."

"Vitale?" Dr. Avian said, surprised. "Vitale Medici you mean?" Cerebella nodded her head.

"We thought he was gonna be with our co-worker... But Vitale lied to us..."

The doctor gave them a look, it seemed to be a mixture of 'I'm sorry' and 'You left a child with Vitale Medici?' Cerebella's look said 'Yes, and I regret everything' while Beatirx's said 'We didn't want to'. "Hm..." The doctor sighed, already having a bad feeling as to what had happened. In the brighter light, Cerebella and Beatrix saw just how dark Harry's eyes seemed, how broken and terrifed. But more importantly, they saw the injures on his face alone.

And his hands... His tiny little hands... His fingernails seemed to have grown back well enough, but the scars still remained...

They shuddered to imagine what awaited them beneath their son''s shirt, and Cerebella was having flashbacks to the very first time she bathed him...

"..." The doctor couldn't even think of what to say when he finally took the shirt off. Harry's chest was burned, scarred, cut, beaten... It even seemed like he had been electrocuted in some places. Harry remained silent, shaking somewhat as he remembered what had happened to him, how scared he was...

Beatrix and Cerebella paled at the sight of their son's condition. They thought they had cried themselves out on the train... But the sight of Harry's injuries quickly dispelled that belief, as they found themselves tearing up once more.

Harry looked to each of them, and clearly believed that this was his fault, and looked back down to the floor. The two women tightened their hold on him protectively. "It's okay Harry, you'll be okay." Beatrix said quietly.

"I'm... I'm gonna kill him..." Beatrix looked over at Cerebella in mild surprise. "Vitale's a dead man. No one hurts my son and gets away with it..."

Beatrix smiled wryly at her. "Yeah? Well I'll be right there with you, Cerebella... Just don't kill him before I have a chance to cut it off."

Cerebella sighed shakily and smiled at her girlfriend. The doctor was looking over Harry, asking him to breathe, checking some vitals, but the whole time, he didn't seem to be getting better. If anything, the doctor seemed to become more and more troubled. "And... for how long did this happen?"

"I... I dunno..." Harry mumbled. "It just kept happening..."

"We were gone just over a month, so we can only guess really." Beatrix stated.

Avian sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Honestly... I knew full well how deplorable the Medicis were... But to do this to a child..." Cerebella bit her lip. Just yesterday, she would have angrily jumped to Vitale's defense, maybe even punch the guy... And the knowledge that this is how she would have reacted killed her... She would have physically harmed a sweet old man for telling it like it is.

Like it or not, no matter how many times Harry forgave her, or her friends forgave her, this was going to follow her for the rest of her life. More than Beatrix or Feng, she had allowed this to happen, and that would haunt her for the rest of her life. But now as she thought about it, it made sense... Vitale had found her and taken her in. She had been a little girl who had lost her parents, Vitale had found her and convinced her she was part of his 'family', and she had blindly followed him for years.

But still... how many people had she hurt for him? How many good people were destroyed by her actions? And all those fights she got in to defend his honour when she heard someone badmouthing that slimy toad... Oh God, she hospitalized a few of them! Sent them off to have broken limbs and crushed bones treated!

She felt more and more like this was her fault. She understood it wasn't entirely her fault, but in a situation like this, understanding something and accepting something were usually very, VERY different things. To a mother who saw her child hurt, it would be hard to accept it wasn't entirely your fault if you believed you were leaving him with people you trusted. But as a mother who left her son effectively to die with the people who raised her, but clearly never cared for her... This wasn't something that would just... disappear.

She felt something against her side and looked over to see Beatrix putting her head on her shoulder. "Hey, you okay? You were kinda spacing out there." The magician said with a frown. Cerebella exhaled through her nose.

"I...I don't think I'll be able to stop blaming myself anytime soon, Trixie..."

Beatrix wished she had some sort of reply, but in this case, she didn't. She didn't want to blame her for what had happened, but at the same time, they HAD been responsible, and Cerebella had outright refused to listen... She hated that the only way she could get her to see the truth was by their son being gravely injured. Still, it convinced her to see the truth, so that was something...

"If it makes you feel any better... I blame myself too." She said softly. Cerebella smiled weakly before focusing on her son.

"Is...he gonna be oksy, doc...?" The greenette asked timidly. Avian gave her a small smile and nodded.

"Don't you worry, my dear. I've treated much graver injuries than this."

That was both reassuring, and very disheartening at the same time. Harry had been unnaturally quiet the whole time, but then again, after all he went through, the women didn't expect him to be very talkative right now. It was about another hour, or maybe two, time seemed really weird right now... But eventually the doctor finished going over Harry's injuries. Feng had taken him to let Cerebella and Beatrix hear what had happened.

"Hmm... Well, the good news is, all of his injuries are healing at a supernatural rate. Magic, perhaps."

"Yeah... His magic is insanely strong." Beatrix said with a proud smile that quickly faded as she asked the dreaded question. "And the bad news?" Avian sighed.

"You girls may want to sit down for this one..."

The women obeyed. "Well, his magic seems to be the only thing keeping him alive. Any other child would've died weeks ago from either internal bleeding, blood loss, damaged bones, or just the physical strain on his body." The doctor said honestly, and the two women recoiled in shock and disgust. They knew it was bad, but they hadn't expected that... "Honestly, while he will heal, there are many scars that will never disappear."

Cerebella collapsed to her knees and buried her face into her hands, sobbing loudly and messily, much to Beatrix and Avian's shock. "Oh my God what have I done?! What have I done?! I almost got my kid killed, what have I done, oh my God, oh my God!"

This time, Feng came over, and handed Harry to Beatirx. She nodded and Beatrix understood what was happening. She left the juggler to try and console her friend, now turning her attention to her son, who was looking up at her with a saddened expression.

"Did I do something wrong mama?" He asked.

Beatrix shook her head. "No... Of course you didn't, Harry, you did nothing wrong at all... Only thing wrong here is the men that hurt you..."

"Mommy's crying... I don't like it when mommy's sad... I want her to be happy again..." Beatrix chuckled weakly and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Yeah? Well, we feel the same about you..." She said softly. "And...in good time... we'll all be happy again..."

Harry looked up, then snuggled closer. He felt safe again. He was scared, but he felt safe. Beatrix sighed and kept running her fingers through his hair, doing her best to soothe him. 'So what now?' She thought. 'Harry's safe, we're away from those monsters. They're most definitely going to die. But what happens after that? Where are we gonna live?'

She exhaled through her nose. She was thinking wishfully... The Medicis had plenty of other men... Dahlia may have been their best, but there were plenty of others, Ottomo being chief among them... Honestly, it seemed like they were stuck here for the time being... The Medicis would be on the hunt for them, and she wanted to take no risks...

Sure, her magic could probably kill them, but there were a few issues with that. The first one being she'd need to be rather close in order to hurt them. Second, she'd probably be killed afterwards, and third, if she survived, how would she explain it to Harry? '...I don't care... Just gotta keep my baby safe.' She finally concluded with a slight shake of her head. 'What I wouldn't give for some... I dunno... some alien thing to show up and kill them... or heck, literal demons from hell, they can't be much worse...'

Meanwhile, Feng, Krystal and Amber were doing their best to soothe an inconsolable Cerebella. "C'mon, Bella... I can't stand seeing you like this..." Feng said softly.

"I-I can't help it! I trusted that son of a bitch with all my heart, and he turned around and almost killed my son! TORTURED my son!" Cerebella said in between sobs.

Krystal came forward and wrapped Cerebella in her wings. "Cerebella, you're not them." She said softly. "You always had a good heart, you were just left in unfortunate circumstances. You clearly love Harry, and you loved Vitale. It may have been for bad reasons, but you didn't know any better."

Cerebella didn't stop crying. Krystal sighed and smiled sadly as she tightened the hug. "Heh... We're running out of material here..."

"Just remember what everyone told you." Amber said softly, joining in the hug. "And don't have those dirty 'my fault' thoughts anymore, little missy... Now... I wanna formally meet my new grandson, so let's go go go!"

The group walked over to the couches nearby, where Beatirx was sitting, holding Harry close and comforting him. She looked up with a slight smile as she saw that they seemed to be doing better. "So... I haven't formally met this little cutie yet." Amber remarked, sitting next to Beatrix.

Beatrix looked over to Cerebella with a small smile, then slowly handed Harry over to her. Cerebella took him and hugged him close. "Harry... I... I wanna introduce you to two very special people in my life... These are Amber and Krystal... M-My recently adopted mothers and your new grandparents..."

"Hi." Harry said with a small wave. He was still shaking, but remembered that Krystal had held him nice, and if these were his grandparents, then he was willing to trust them.

"Aw... He's so adorable!" Amber cooed, gently rubbing his cheek. "He's just the sweetest little thing!"

Cooing softly, Harry leaned his head into the affectionate gesture like a touch-starved kitten. Amber giggled softly. Then she looked at Cerebella with a bright smile. "May I?" She asked softly. Cerebella smiled softly and passed him over.

"Why hello cutie." Amber cooed, holding Harry close. At first, Harry seemed a little bit awkward, but there was something about Miss Amber that made him very comfortable. He happily snuggled closer to her and Amber's heart seemed to be melting more and more. Harry found himself very comfortable in the woman's arms. "Hi gramma..."

"Dawwww, hi!" Amber gushed, nuzzling him with her cheek. "Oh, you're just the sweetest widdle thing ever!" She giggled. "A grandma at thirty six... Can you believe it, Kryssie?"

Krystal chuckled. "Yeah, well, we did adopt Feng when we were still in college, and Cerebella's not much older than she is." The bat feral scooted over and draped a wing around her wife's shoulder, looking down to get a good look at Harry. "Hey kiddo. Just call me Grandma Kryssie. Heh..."

"Hi gramma kryssie." Harry said, looking up at the bat feral.

"He's so small..." Krystal remarked. "Have you been feeding him?"

"Yes." Cerebella nodded. "But he didn't have a great situation before I found him."

Krystal's eyes widened at that, and she looked at Harry with a sad look. "Ah... I see..." She murmured softly.

"It was just awful..." Beatrix muttered, seething with rage. "Just as bad as the Medoucheys... But... that's for some other time..."

Cerebella smiled as she watched Harry being comforted by Amber and Krystal. It really seemed like the two older woman were exactly what Harry needed right now. The pair seemed to be absolutely in love with the tiny boy, and their comforting presence seemed to be calming Harry better than she or Beatrix could. And he seemed so cute while he was snuggling against them.

She smiled nostalgically as she thought back to her own childhood, when she would visit Feng's house... Her parents always treated her like she was their own. From baking her birthday cakes to comforting her after a nightmare at a sleepover.. How could she have ever worshipped Vitale when the ideal parents were right in front of her all along?

But if she was honest, she never had a normal life. Things were always... weird. When she lived with Vitale, from the people she met, to the sometimes sporadic moves, to the jobs he had her do, she had always assumed that was just the way it was.

Heck, she lived in a circus ground for most of her life, that alone was a clear sign that her life was not normal. Still... Feng's parents were such...normal parents to her that it was astounding it took her so long to make the connection.

Thankfully, it didn't seem to be taking Harry as long to make that connection. He was currently snuggled between Amber and Krystal, the two older women were clearly in love with the tiny boy, and Harry seemed to feel safe and content in their arms. Cerebella looked to Beatrix and the two smiled at one another.

They looked away shyly for a moment before meeting each other's gaze once more. They both knew what the other wanted. "It's been a full month, so I'm a little rusty..." Cerebella said softly.

"Yeah? That makes two of us." Beatrix replied before pulling her lover into a kiss.

"Man... We went way too long without showing our love..." Cerebella said softly.

"Well, we have all the time in the world now." Beatrix smiled, but Cerebella could see the sadness underneath. "And I think Harry's gonna need a bit of time until he's back to normal."

"If we're lucky..." Cerebella muttered. "I don't think a kid can just... go through that, and not be affected permanently."

"Well, we're here to help him through it, no matter what."

They looked over at the child in Amber's arms. He was smiling, but... it didn't seem entirely genuine. He looked as though he felt obligated to smile when he didn't want to. He was still afraid of being hurt...

She wanted to ask if it was possible whatever had happened to him break him so badly, but she already knew the answer. Still, even wen she figured she found the rock bottom for how badly he had been hurt, she just found more.

Was this the life her son was stuck with...? Just a neverending cycle of pain and false hope that it might end? No... That was not the life her son would live. Over her dead body her son would be stuck living such an awful quality of life. He would NEVER be hurt like this again... Not now that she was smart enough to know better... She would never blindly trust anyone again.

Speaking of trust, he thoughts drifted to the people she was now sharing a building with. From the brief interaction, it was clear many of them had been hurt or hated the Medici's, and she knew why. But she didn't know how they'd react to three ex-members of the team they fought against...

She shuddered slightly at the thought of it... She really didn't want any more trouble... After all that had happened, she just wanted a quiet life for a while... Her thoughts were interrupted by what sounded like squishy footsteps. Looking up, she saw a woman with browm hair and blue eyes, wearing a mask... And, disturbingly enough, looked like she was made entirely out of flesh and intestines... "Hello everyone." The woman said in a gentle, soothing voice, looking at Harry with a sad expression. "My name is Illeum... I suppose one would say I'm the matriarch here... And I'm here to show you around your new living quarters."

Everyone looked to one another, seeming to think the same thing. But at the same time, who were they to judge? Also, she seemed to be a kind presence, her physical appearance aside. Slowly, Cerebella took Harry back into her arms, and looked to Beatrix. The magician nodded and stood up turning to Illeum. "Thank you."

The woman nodded her head. "It's no trouble at all... Come along now, there's a lot you need to know..."

And so Illeum gave them the grand tour of the building. There wasn't much to speak of. A few medical rooms, rooms they were strictly warned to stay out of, and a whole bunch of bedrooms. One had that cheesy pop music that Beatrix despised playing on the other end, apparently courtesy of someone named Hive. The room that was blaring cartoons belonged to someone named Peacock. And there were several other rooms as well. Stanley, Leduc, Ben, Dr. Avian, and a bunch of children.

Eventually, the groups were led to two separate bedrooms. Amber and Crystal had one room, and Cerebella, Feng, Beatrix and Harry had the other. Feng could sleep wherever she decided, but right now, they just needed to take a break. Cerebella and Beatrix sat on one of the beds, with Harry hugged between them.

Harry sat between his mothers, not sure which one to lean into... He wanted both of their affection at full force. He remembered the nightmare he had just recently been taken out of and bit his lip with a soft whimper. Then he started to cry.

The two looked down at him, the at one another, then held him tight. They let him cry into both of them, his tiny body seemed even smaller than before, he seemed so terrifed, so starved for affection... Cerebella quietly reached over and picked up the bag Dahlia left with Harry's things. She was looking for the stuffed owl Feng had gotten him...

But she wasn't ready for what she found.

The album she and Beatrix had made... it was burned and torn. From the look of it, many of the pictures seemed to be sticking out or torn. It was clear Harry didn't (and couldn't) have done this, and it was clear who did it, and clear why they did it.

Cerebella's heart clenched at the sight of it. She remembered how much it had meant to Harry when he first got it...

It seemed the pictures were salvageable... But when she got to the end, her heart broke in two. The back cover, and by extension, her and Beatrix's note, was gone...

By that point, Beatrix had looked over and noticed.

...no." Was all Beatrix could get out. Her anger, her regret, her remorse... none of it came forward. She simply looked quietly, accepting what had happened. Even with everything that Harry had gone through, it was clear he tried to keep them in his mind... and Lorenzo or Vitale hadn't let him... all because they wanted his damn magic. The magician shivered somewhat. Was this her fault? If she hadn't trained Harry, would they have found out he had magic? But if she didn't Harry may have hurt someone...

She clenched her fists tightly and shook her head. Now was not the time to get angry... Her son needed her... Still... She was going to kill Vitale Medici and his crooked old father... And it was going to be a very slow process... Shaking her head, she joined her lover and son in a close embrace. By this point, all three of them were crying.

Harry remained silent as he cried, unsure of what to say or do. He knew he hadn't hurt his mommies, but it still felt like he had... What could he say? What could he do to try and help? He felt useless right now... but his family was holding him, so he at least felt warm. Harry tried to make himself smaller, just wanting to be held between his parents.

Feng watched sadly before digging through the boy's belongings. She found his stuffed toys, the board games, everything. Miraculously, it was all in good shape. It seemed the Medicis hadn't decided to destroy his toys to force him into compliance. Or he had managed to hide them well enough that they couldn't find them to destroy them...

Either way it was heartbreaking. Feng felt lost, disoriented... but at the same time she knew this wasn't the time to have a mental break down. Harry needed someone to seem stable right now. Finally, she found the stuffed owl she had given him and smiled sadly at it. This might help...

She approached slowly and gently placed the owl in the boy's hands. He looked down at it, teary-eyed, and she smiled. "Everyone here is gonna protect you, Harry..." Feng cooed softly before releasing the pets from their carriers. The animals immediately made a beline for Harry, aside from Donald, who decided to provide emotional support for his owner.

Beatrix and Cerebella decided to move back just a little bit to let the pets try and comfort Harry. Normally, the pets would make him laugh or even just smile, that didn't happen this time. But he did feel somewhat safer wen they were with him, so Harry made no movement to try and push them away.

Kitty climbed into his lap and rested his front paws on his chest, looking up at Harry with wide eyes, concerned. Peter and Hazel settled for nuzzling against him from either side. Feng decided to step over and join them on the bed, Donald leaning over to give Harry an affectionate nuzzle before turning back to his over. Then there was a knock on the door, and it slowly opened to reveal Amber. "Hi... Krystal and I thought that... we should all stay together tonight, as a family..." She said, holding two sleepihg bags.

Cerebella let a smile form on her face and nodded. Normally she'd jokingly ask Harry if he wanted to, but right now, he needed all the comfort he could get. She knew deep down that someday he'd be able to put this behind him, she and Beatrix, heck, she and her whole family, were there to support him... But for now, spending time with his family was probably the best thing for him.

And so, her newly adopted parents stepped into the room and set up their sleeping bags. "All right, first sleepover since our teen years!" Amber cheered. Krystal chuckled at her wife's enthusiasm.

"Yeah... Hey, is that a duck?" Donald quacked in greeting.

"Yeah, I got a new pet." Feng chirped.

"Yes... pet..." Beatrix muttered, remembering the somehow perfectly planned traps that duck had set up... somehow. Still, she knew that the duck had probably been one of the few things Harry had to try and hold onto for any sort of hope, so she really couldn't complain... despite how much she wanted to.

Amber reached over and scratched Donald beneath the chin affectionately. "He's a cutie." Donald quacked appreciatively.

Beatrix's expression softened. "Yeah... He's not all bad after all... Even if he is a little turd." She turned to her rabbits. "And you guys were there for Harry too, weren'tcha? Heh... You two are amazing." She stroked Peter and Hazel's fur.

Harry looked over to the rabbits, remembering how they tried to keep him company during his nightmare. He nodded wordlessly and leaning into Cerebella's hold. He didn't know this, but that little gesture meant so much to Cerebella. It was reassuring that he still loved her. It meant he still wanted to be around her.

"I'm sorry we left you, Harry..." The greenette whispered softly. "But... it's okay now... Mommy and mama and auntie and grandmas and pets are all here..."

"That' right, hun." Beatrix said softly. "We're all here together... As a family..."

"Thank you mama..." Harry said, closing his eyes and trying to let the warmth be what lulled him to sleep, rather than the exhaustion, fear or pain. He knew his parents would never harm him. But he didn't know why Mr. Vitale did... but it seemed like his mama and mommy didn't either.

He closed his eyes and focused on what was happening around him. He gave all his attention to his mother's warmth. He reminded himself that they were there. That he was safe. That he wasn't with his tormentors anymore... Beatrix saw he was trying to sleep, and, leaning down, softly sang a lullaby into his ear, disregarding her embarrassment at people watching her sing. Her son came before her pride.

It seemed to work as Harry began peacefully breathing in his mother's arms. Cerebella sighed, knowing that this was the beginning of a long recovery. "Well, he's sleeping at least." Beatrix remarked. "That's something..."

"Admittedly, I don't expect it to last that long..." Cerebella sighed.

The two women looked at each other, smiling sadly as the month they'd had caught up to them. The miserable, lonely month... Cerebella leaned forward and gave Beatrix a quick kiss on the lips. "I'm sorry I ignored you for all that time... I love you, Beatrix..."

"I love you too Cere." Beatrix smiled. "And I understand, it... It wasn't something you wanted to hear, and... I didn't say it the best way I could've."

"But you at least said it." Cerebella insisted. "If you hadn't... I don't think anyone would've. And then Harry..."

"That didn't happen."

Cerebella looked away. "I...What you said didn't even save him, and it's all my fault... If I had just listened to you... We could have gone back to get him..."

"Tch... Honestly. I should have just gone to get him myself... I'm just as much to blame as you are, Cerebella... We're both his parents. We share the blame. Speaking of sharing... Gimme." Beatrix added, taking the sleeping boy from Cerebella who seemed too pout in annoyance. Beatrix rested Harry's head against her chest and smiled sadly down at him. "Aww... I missed his tiny widdle face..."

Cerebella smiled sadly and moved closer to them. "Me too, Trixie... We all did... Oh man he's so tiny..."

Beatrix blinked, then smiled softly in relief. "Look, Cerebella... It looks like Dahlia kept him fed... He still has some meat on his bones..."

"I'm still surprised she actually did all that." She frowned. "I mean, she's not nearly as bad as Lorenzo, but... she's never been someone I'd consider friendly."

"I think she had a point though. If we came home and saw this... It wouldn't end too well, for any of them."

"Heh... yeah." Cerebella nodded. "Still, maybe... maybe there's some kindness in her..."

"Makes me wonder just what was running through her head when she was doing all that rotten stuff for those dirtbags." Beatrix grunted.

"Tch... Wasn't she the one that killed the Contiello family?" Cerebella asked.

"Yep. And of course they tried to paint it as a noble great thing... I'll bet you anything they had a hand in why Selene Contiello became the Skullgirl..." Beatrix all but spat.

"Huh. Sooner of later, Harry's gonna learn about that." Cerebella frowned.

"Well, we'll just have to deal with that when it comes time to." Beatrix sighed. "Still, I hope he doesn't dragged into all that." Cerebella looked down at the sleeping boy and nodded. She really hoped Harry wasn't going to have to go through more hardship then he already had, and the last thing she wanted was for the Skullgirl curse to affect her son.

Shaking her head, she looked over to see Feng and her parents had already fallen asleep. Smiling softly, she yawned and looked at Harry. "Well... Everyone else went to sleep... Guess we'd better join them..." Cerebella mumbled tiredly. Beatrix nodded.

"Right... I'm tired too." She agreed, lying under the covers. Cerebella joined her, Harry snug between the two women, and Beatrix gave Cerebella a quick kiss.

The weightlifter blushed before kissing Harry's sleeping face. There was a warmth that she had missed, a warmth of not only her son snuggled up against her, but the warmth of Beatrix. She didn't know if she could ever forgive herself for how she acted towards the magician who was rightfully trying to warn her, but for now, the warmth was all she needed.

The two women smiled tiredly at each other from their respective spots. "Well... G'night then, hun..." Beatrix mumbled sleepily.

"Good night, Trixie..." Cerebella said back, planting a kiss on her girlfriend's cheek, getting a smile from the magician. Closing her eyes, Cerebella tried to let herself be happy as she drifted off to sleep...


	15. Chapter 15

When the morning finally came, Cerebella groaned as she woke up. Due to the past month's random and pointless work, her sleep schedule was all out of whack. She rubbed her head and looked around, seeing Harry clutching onto Beatrix, the two still asleep. "Aww..." She mentally cooed, before noticing Harry seemed... Frightened.

He was softly whimpering and tossing about in the magician's embrace, clearly in the throes of a nightmare. She bit her lip. So even the presence of his mothers wasn't enough to keep the nightmares at bay...

Quietly, she lay back down and pulled Beatrix, and by extent Harry, closer. When she felt the tiny boy's head rest against her chest, she sighed gently. After a few moments, Harry seemed to calm down, enjoying the warmth from between the two. Good.

She looked up at the ceiling , staring sadly at it as she held her family close. This whole situation was just a total mess... "Having a tough time sleeping, kiddo?" Cerebella looked over to see Krystal smiling over at her. "Heh... Insomnia hits hard..."

"Yeah..." Cerebella said softly. "I'm just trying to keep Harry calm. He's having-"

"You don't need to say it." Krystal shook her head. "I heard the poor guy, it was clear what was happening."

"Wait. How did- right. Bat." Cerebella said quietly, before looking back to her son. "What have I done?"

"Hey, I know it's hard, but you're going to get through this. All of you."

Cerebella sighed softly and carefully put Harry in Beatrix's arms, making sure she was holding him comfortably, then went to take a seat beside Krystal.

"...I...I can't tell you how thankful I am... For everything you've done ever... Thanks a lot for being here... mom..."

Krystal smiled, placing a hand on Cerebella's cheek.

"It's fine, hun." She spoke softly, in the reassuring tone that always soothed Cerebella when she was little. "I understand that things are... hard. Right now, but if you keep beating yourself up over it, then you won't be able to move forward. I'm not saying ignore the pain or the feelings, but rather know why you have them, and learn from them."

Cerebella looked down and sighed. Krystal pulled her into an embrace, and she leaned into it with a smile. Amber and Krystal always did give the best hugs. Amber's hugs were tight and made absolute certain you felt loved... But Krystal's hugs always felt very reassuring, and made her feel safe and at ease. Harry wasn't the only one who needed maternal affection after all this...

When she let go, Krystal looked over to Harry and smiled. "So, where'd you find the little cutie?"

Cerebella frowned, remembering back to when this all started. Still, she had a right to know. "I found him... I found him in a garbage can." Cerebella finally got out.

Krystal frowned softly. "Geez... Another trash can baby..." Cerebella blinked and tilted her head to the side.

"What do you mean?" Krystal exhaled through her nose.

"We never told you, did we? Well... Amber and I adopted Feng when we were eighteen... Heh... We were just coming back from a date night when we heard a crying baby... Of course Amber rushed right off to find it, she always loved kids... And... well... we found little baby Feng in a dumpster..."

Cerebella was taken aback by the revelation. She looked over to where Feng was still sleeping, oblivious to the world around her. "I... I didn't know." Cerebella finally got out. "I mean, I knew she was adopted like me... but... Wow..."

"Yeah..." Krystal nodded sadly. "We have no idea who her parents were or where she was from. Amber couldn't leave her though, so we decided to keep her."

Krystal leaned back with a find smile on her face. "Heh... She was such a little turd when she was a baby..."

Cerebella grinned slightly. "Yeah? How so?"

"Ooh, she just loved to explore her surroundings. We couldn't take our eyes off her for a second or she'd get herself hurt. Though more often than not it was one of us getting hurt keeping her out of trouble. Heh... She grew out of it around the time she learned to talk, but until then, it was just like one of those old cartoons."

"Man... I just... I just can't picture that." Cerebella admitted. "I've known her my whole life, but I really can't imagine her being like that when she was a baby."

"She was." Krystal sighed. "She'll deny it, but that's because she can't remember any of it."

"Or she feels bad about it."

Krystal chuckled softly and looked at her sleeping daughter. "I'm proud of how she turned out though... We both are..."

"You should be... She's been the best friend a girl could ever ask for... No... The best sister a girl could ask for..."

Krystal wrapped a wing around her. "We're proud of you too, Cerebella."

When the weightlifter didn't reply, Krystal sighed slightly. "You've been Feng's friend and guardian her entire life. You've always done what you believed was right, the legitimacy of that not withstanding, but whatever. But when you found a tiny boy in the garbage, most people either would've taken him to an orphanage or ignored him. You adopted him."

Cerebella smiled softly. "I dunno... I feel like plenty of people would have done the same thing..." Krystal shook her head.

"No, Cerebella... They really wouldn't have. You have a very kind heart, and you're just filled with love for everyone around you... It may not always be for the best, but still... it's beautiful."

Cerebella looked down, but smiled nonetheless. Krystal's words meant a lot to her. She had always looked up to the bat feral and her wife, seeing them as the parents she never really knew or had. She knew now that they had always seen her as a daughter. She was also reassured that her son would have a good family.

"Thanks so much, mom... I love ya... Heh..." Krystal smirked.

"Love you too, kiddo... Now, I get the feeling I'll be putting my skills as a therapist to use very soon... Any more baggage you wanna talk to your mom about?"

"...Did you ever fight with Amber?" Cerebella asked. "Beatrix tried to tell me about a month ago that the Medici's weren't good people. I got really mad and... we didn't speak for the whole month. I feel like something was damaged then, and I don't know how to get it back..."

Krystal chuckled softly and put a wing to her mouth. "Considering how different we are? It'd be weirder if we didn't fight from time to time... The worst was when I got a bit too caught up in my work and couldn't make it to one too many of Feng's activities... I forgot to pick her up from school one time, and her brother had to pick her up instead, she really went at me for that one... Honestly, neither one of us was really wrong... I needed to work hard to earn money, and I really do think Feng understood that. She was always mature for her age... But... nothing, no matter how important or bad, should just... rip a family apart..."

Cerebella nodded. She wished she and Beatrix had made up before all this happened, and she hated that the catalyst for their reconciliation was Harry's abuse. Cerebella couldn't even be mad at her, from day one she knew Beatrix to be blunt and harsh when need be (which, in her opinion, was a lot more than needed originally) but that was something she had liked about her.

She looked over at her sleeping lover, holding their child close, and sighed softly. "She's... She's the best partner I could ever ask for..."

Krystal chuckled lightly. "I seem to remember you ranting and raving about how much you couldn't stand her back in the day."

"Yeah, but... Harry... He brought us together... Brought out the best in her.. He helped her show me a side I never saw before... A side that I just... fell in love with..."

"Well, I've only met the little guy for about an hour, and I can see what you mean." Krystal smiled, looking over to the sleeping Harry. "He's just so... precious. He seems to be some sort of living happiness or something."

"He was." Cerebella nodded. "Hopefully he can get back to that one day."

She hugged her knees as her mind drifted back to his birthday. How happy he had been... How much he had smiled... Oh God... This happened so shortly after his birthday... What if he was back to being afraid of his own birthday again?!

Admittedly, she knew that wasn't a 'what if' but now a 'certainly'. She hated herself for that, she remembered how terrifed he had been, how much she and Beatrix had to try to coax him just out of bed... Still, she had eleven months until it came around again, she'd do everything in her power to make him as safe and happy as possible so when his birthday came around next, he'd feel as happy as he had.

She exhaled through her nostrils, and felt Krystal's wing drape around her. Quietly, she leaned her head against the bat feral's shoulder. "We really need your help... Both of your help... Harry is... He needs as much help as possible... Physical and emotional..." Cerebella said to her mother with a quake in her voice.

"I know, you don't need to say it hun." Krystal said softly. "I promise though, Amber and I will do anything and everything to help the little guy. I know things are bad now, and in the coming days things will be worse... but they will get better."

"But... Vitale... and Lorenzo... they're still out there, and I helped them so much..." She muttered quietly, guilt overtaking her again.

"Hey, Harry's safe." Krystal said matter-of-factly. "And sooner or later, karma will come collect their debt."

Cerebella hugged her tighter in response. "I guess... Now that Dahlia's gone..." She mumbled softly.

"Yeah... Yeah, she was their best asset... Without her, all they have is that robot guy." Krystal said.

"And I could mop the floor with him." Cerebella finished.

"I think anyone could. If they hit him with enough water he'd probably short circuit. Then what? He's a tiny lizard? I think your cat could deal with that." Cerebella laughed softly, looking to where Kitty was curled up at Beatrix's feet. She had that cat for so long, and he was such a good cat... he was a warming presence for her and a protective one for Harry. She was also happy that all the pets were accounted for, now that she knew what her 'family' had been like, she- never mind. She didn't want to think on that.

She smiled over at Peter and Hazel. They were such cute little rabbits with so much personality... She never thought much of rabbits before, but now she knew what great pets they could really be. And then there was Donald. He was an odd duck, but he was a funny one. And despite his love of annoying Beatrix, he clearly had a heart of gold. Yes... Her pets were a bit overlooked in the grand scheme of things, but she loved them very much.

The two remained where they were, talking quietly to one another. To Cerebella, she wasn't one who was usually up late at night, so this was kind of new to her. Krystal on the other hand was occasionally nocturnal, so it seemed like she wasn't affected in the slightest. "So, if you don't mind me asking. Why Beatrix?" Krystal finally asked. "I mean... you always talked about how much you hated her, and now... now you're letting her hold your son."

"Well... I already told you how Harry brought us together, but... honestly, I think I always had feelings for her deep down..."

"Yeah? Would that be because of her good looks?" Krystal asked mirthfully. Cerebella blushed slightly.

"I mean... Yeah... She is really beautiful... I know it's shallow, but... I don't know...She's just incredible to look at..."

"Heh, that's how Amber and I were." Krystal chuckled, and when she saw Cerebella's expression she added: "Just... minus the bitter hatred at first. But I get it. And besides, your relationship is built clearly on more than just looks, so i wouldn't call it shallow. You two are actually pretty cute together. Not as cute as the little angel you've adopted, but still." Cerebella laughed slightly at that last remark.

She leaned back slightly. "So... What are you guys gonna do abour your jobs? What about your clients, and Amber-Mom's bakery?"

Krystal smiled. "Well... We informed our higher-ups we were gonna be off the grid for a bit... But hey... What happens happens."

Cerebella smiled softly. "I bet you could help out around here a lot, both of you... An extra hand in the kitchen... And... well, I feel like a lot of people here could use someone to talk to..."

"Yeah." Krystal nodded, confusing Cerebella. "I really shouldn't tell you this, but I've talked with a few of the people here before. Especially one of the younger girls. There was an... incident, a few years ago with that damn skullheart, and it's still kind of affecting her. She's gotten better, but this isn't the first time I've talked with someone from here before. Although it would be the first time face-to-face." Cerebella looked down, feeling guilty again. She had a feeling that whatever had happened, the Medicis were behind it, and she felt she was responsible for whatever had happened.

Krystal draped an arm around her shoulder once more. "It'll be okay, Cerebella... Just look to the future the best you can." Cerebella sighed softly. She had to listen to her mother and try to focus on what was ahead... No matter what that may be...

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S GONE?!" Lorenzo Medici roared in pure, unadulterated fury.

"It means what I said. He's gone." Vitale growled.

"DO YOU NOT KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS!?" Lorenzo shouted. "If we don't have that damn gem, we're dead. Do you not know how many people want us dead?! Without that damn life gem, or the kid's magic, all we have to rely on is that idiot weightlifter you kept!"

"...shit." Vitale muttered, his eyes widening in terror.

"What now?!"

"Cerebella... she got home yesterday." Vitale said, and Lorenzo realized what he was getting at. "No one's heard from her or Beatrix yet." Neither of the two noticed a figure concealed about forty feet away, watching them. The figure smirked and sent a message. Next time Dahlia checked, she'd get the message.

'They're clear.'

They didn't seem to notice her own absence just yet... But they would in good time. Smirking, she turned and left the building as stealthily as she had entered. She would have to keep them off their trail, and she had the utmost confident she could do so. A few dead medicis with her special touch within their area and the entire mafia would be running away scared ten yards away from the general vicinity.

'The others?' She asked, knowing... she shouldn't. But she had helped the kid this far. This was to 'close this case' so to speak.

'Safe. All of em' are good. Even if they try, Medicis won't be able to get to them. Even if they do, they're dead. I'll make sure. Was the reply she got. Followed by: Goodbye D. Take care ;)'

Back at the lab, Beatrix found herself finally waking up, and the events of the past day hitting her in waves. At first, she was terrifed for her son, but relief washed over her when she saw him sleeping in her arms. Then she was terrifed for Cerebella, but relief washed over her when her vision came back and she saw her talking with Krystal. Leaning up, she yawned, but did her best not to disturb her son. He needed all the sleep he could get. He also looked really cute when he slept and wasn't having a nightmare.

She gave Harry a small kiss on the head, then decided to join Krystal and Cerebella, still holding Harry close to her chest. "Hello." She greeted softly, taking a seat next to them. Cerebella smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Mornin', Trixie."

"Morning to you as well." Krystal smiled. "And morning to the cutie." Beatrix smiled as she adjusted Harry so he was resting against her chest, still breathing peacefully.

"I don't know if it hasn't hit him yet, or if he did have one and I slept through it, but Harry seemed to sleep okay." She remarked, looking down at her son.

"Yeah... he didn't seem too good this morning, but he calmed down once you held him a bit closer, I don't know if you were doing it by choice or reflexively."

Beatrix smiled softly and rested her chin on Harry's head. "Well... I like to imagine I just do that without thinking about it..." She said softly.

Cerebella hugged her carefully from the side. "Thanks so much for being a good mom for him, Beatrix... Seriously, just thank you... I could never do this alone..."

Cerebella blinked, then smiled as she felt Beatrix shift Harry into her arms. She sat back against the wall and smiled, holding her son close. She pulled a section of the blanket from the bed over, and pulled it over herself and Beatrix, leaving Harry tucked soundly and warmly underneath.

The two women smiled and leaned against each other, closing their eyes and quickly falling asleep. Krystal chuckled softlt and stroked Cerebella's hair. "You guys are gonna be just fine. Sooner or later, it'll all be okay." She gave all three of them a kiss on the head, something her mom instinct just compelled her to do.

Three hours had passed. There was a small whimper and Harry began squirming. At first Cerebella assumed he was having another nightmare, but eventually, he snuggled closer and began to open his eyes, but there was noticable fear in them. "Wherami...whathappan..." He mumbled, still half-asleep before looking up. "Mama?"

"Hi sweetie." Cerebella cooed softly, hugging him close. "It's okay, you're safe."

Harry rested his head against her chest and closed his eyes. "Mommy..." He mumbled softly. Beatrix chuckled.

"Don't forget mama, kiddo." She said playfully, ruffling his hair. He smiled at the display of affection.

"I can't ever forget you, mama..." The little boy said softly.

'Even after everything that's happened, he's still such a sweetie!' Cerebella cooed mentally as she scratched Harry's back before slowly handing him to Beatrix. The magician happily wrapped her son up in her arms, before kissing his head. Harry cooed cutely and snuggled close, the affection starvation clear... well, she'd have to show him all he love he could ask for!

The family stayed in their group hug for several minutes as everyone around them woke up. Kitty, Peter and Hazel decided to try and bug their owners for affection, which they quickly received from all three of them. Feng woke up with a yawn, stretching her arms, then quickly hopped to her feet. "Morning everybody!"

"Uuuuuugh..." Amber groaned like a zombie as she slowly sat up. "I hate mornings..."

"She's not wrong." Beatrix shrugged with a smirk. Harry smiled up at his mama, and then looked around at everyone. He seemed to realize what had happened over the past few days and tensed up, but that quickly released as he knew he wasn't going to be hurt.

"Hi auntie Feng." Harry said, still waking up somewhat. This got a huge grin from Feng.

She leaned down, kissed his cheek and patted his head. "G'morning, Harry! You sleep okay?" She asked, concerned.

Harry nodded. "Mommy and mama scared all the scary dreams away... I'm okay..." Feng giggled.

"Aww, that's great!" Amber chuckled weakly.

"I dunno where you get all that morning energy... Ugh... You definitely didn't learn it from either of us..." The brown haired woman remarked to her daughter.

"I blame our job..." Beatrix groaned. "Some days we'd have to be up before the sun..."

"And?" Feng asked.

"I hate you."

"I love you too." Cerebella just laughed. She was in the middle of this debate. She didn't mind waking up early or late, just so long as she got sleep. Same with Vice-Versa, although after all these years, she hadn't fully figured out if he needed sleep or not.

The hat in question made his way over and settled atop her head, nestling down to get ready for the day ahead. Cerebella chuckled. "Things are gonna be different for a while, buddy." She said, patting the living weapon. "In fact, I dunno if they'll ever be the same again..."

"Well, what kind of life is one where you only do the same thing everyday?" Feng asked. Her question trying to have deeper meaning, but it quickly dawned on her that the wording was off. "Actually, never mind." Still, that was a good point. What WAS their new normal going to be? Where were they going to go? Where would they live? As much as she didn't want too, Cerebella felt like leaving the circus behind was the best course of action... at least for a time.

It seemed like staying here was their only real option. But she didn't like the idea of imposing on the nice people here... She looked at her son and smiled softly. "Well... We'll stick around here for as long as they're willing to put up with us..."

"And we can help them out too!" Feng chirped. "Earn our keep, y'know?"

Harry nodded, he knew better than most what it meant to have to work to earn your keep. But here... he didn't feel the oppressive aura that always surrounded his old home. He'd do whatever they needed him to do though, especially if his parents needed help!

The family sat in silence for a few moments, not entirely sure what to do now, when they heard a knock on the door. Krystal pulled the door open to find a blonde teenage boy waiting for them on the other side. "Hi! I'm Leduc! Miss Illeum sent me over to bring you guys to breakfast!" He greeted cheerfully.

"Oh, well thank you young man." Krystal smiled. She stood to the side as Leduc pulled a rolling table in with plates of food on it. He looked around and smiled to everyone before stopping the table.

"Alright, so... we've got a buncha stuff. If anyone has like, an allergy or something, just let me know, I'll be down the hall."

"Thanks, kid. Let us know if we can do anything to help out around here!" Cerebella called out. Leduc chuckled.

"Ah, you wanna see Doctor Avian about that. He's the one that gives everyone their jobs." An explosion was heard and he winced. "Gotta feel bad for the janitor ever since Peacock showed up. Heh..."

"Peacock!" A gruff, older man's voice called. "What the fu-"

"Ray! There's a kid here!" Leduc winced before shouting at...whoever was yelling. "Keep it down!"

"Tell that to Peacock!"

"...fair point."

The group heard feminine robotic laughter and Leduc rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish chuckle. "Resident wild child?" Krystal asked with a quirked brow.

"Oooh, big time. She's uh... about as close as it gets to a real life cartoon character."

As if to prove his point, several loud crashes were heard, followed by the female robotic laughter again. This was followed by what sounded like a shotgun racking a slug, then several more things breaking.

"You're too slow, Ray!"

"Yer dead to me Peacock!"

"I love you too!"

Leduc chuckled nervously. "Well... You won't have to worry about her too often... She's usually watching cartoons in her room..."

Beatrix frowned. "'A problem child... I hope she doesn't rub off in Harry at all..." She muttered under her breath.

Still feeling a bit uneasy about everything, Krystal decided to keep chatting with Leduc, while Amber brought some food over to Beatrix. "Here, the poor thing needs it..." She cooed softly. "Have you been feeding him at all?"

"He... he was like this when I found him." Cerebella frowned, looking down at the skeletal frame her son had reverted too.

"He was getting better... Those bastards ruined it..." Beatrix growled through gritted teeth. Cerebella calmed her down with a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll fix it... We'll get him back to where he was when we left. It'll be okay again... I know it will... The acrobat said softly.

"But for now... Open up sweetie." Cerebella cooed softly, taking a forkful and holding it up to Harry, who was seated on Beatrix's lap. To her utter dismay, Harry seemed... apprehensive. "Sweetie..."

"S..Sorr...Sorry..." Harry stammered. "I...I didn't...I didn't know..."

"Harry... It's me. You know I'd never hurt you. Your mama would never hurt you. Your auntie and grandmas would never hurt you..."

"I...I know... I just... I'm a bit used to not being allowed to eat when everyone knows I am... Miss Dahlia was feeding me in secret so Mr. Vitale wouldn't get mad... She... She could only give me supper, and... it had to be something small so she could sneak it in for me..."

That seemed to get Leduc's attention, and he turned to them in disbelief, then back to Krystal. The bat feral frowned then shook her head, and the boy understood what she was saying."But you're safe now, it's fine for you to eat whenever." Beatrix said soothingly, trying to coax her son to eat something.

He slowly opened his mouth and allowed his mother to put a forkful of scrambled eggs into it. He chewed hungrily and swallowed. "It's so good... I didn't have food this good in a really long time..." He said softly, beginning to tear up.

Leduc chuckled. "Heh... Pretty much everyone here gets emotional when they first try Miss Illeum's cooking. She's a kitchen master."

Cerebella sighed in relief, at least he was eating something... The parents took turns holding and feeding their son, trying to think of ways to help him overcome all that had happened recently. The sad truth of it was that the best thing for Harry would be time. Cerebella and Beatrix however, wanted him to be happy as soon as possible. But Cerebella knew better than anyone how long it had taken for Harry to warm up to just her, so... unfortunately, it may take a while until he was back to the way he was before they left.

She bit her lip as the overwhelming guilt came back. He was almost there! He was just a few steps away from being completely out of his shell! She felt something squeeze her hand and looked to see Beatrix giving her a stern yet caring look. She smiled weakly. She knew her lover wanted her to stop blaming herself... But quite frankly, she didn't see that happening for a long time...

She looked down at her son who was in her arms again, quietly eating the food he was brought. She sighed and kissed him on the head before resting her chin on his head. Harry squirmed, a little confused at first, but quickly seemed to settle down happily.

She watched Beatrix feed him with a small smile. She had to try and be happy about the situation... It could be better... They had pretty much all lost their home. They couldn't go back to their jobs at the circus or the office or the bakery... But they were all here. Together. As a family.

It was a happy moment, and Harry seemed noticeably better for the first time all month. He looked up with a smile at his parents and nuzzled into their embrace. An older man stuck his head into the room, he had a dreadlocked beard and gray hair "Hey, Leduc." He said in a deeper voice. "Illy's wonderin' if they're okay and the doc wants to know if the kid needs anything for his wounds."

"I think they're good Ray." Ludiac nodded. "They'll probably be out later, so the others can meet them then."

"Cool. Whatever happens to Peacock, she totally had it coming by the way."

Leduc chuckled awkwardly. "Ben or Illeum?" The expression on Ray's face told all. "Illeum. Gotcha." Leduc turned to the group. "Um... Don't get on Illeum's bad side, you guys. Her angry mom mode is... well, it's the stuff of nightmares. Ben's pretty scary when he's mad too, though..." Harry began shaking, and Leduc hurriedly backpedaled. "That's not to say they're mad all the time! Only sometimes, like... a few times a week at Peacock! Not you! You're no troublemaker... Um... Geez..."

"Smoooth." Ray muttered. "Well, have fun with this." Then disappeared. Cerebella hugged Harry tightly, trying to comfort him. she knew what the two had been talking about, and if this was a month ago, Harry probably wouldn't have been freaking out currently. But now... well, this was sadly expected.

"Aw man, I'm sorry... Didn't mean to stress him out or anything... But... You won't have anything to worry about as long as you behave..."

"I...I don't want anyone to be hit..." Harry whimpered. Leduc blinked, then smiled reassuringly at Harry.

"Hey, you don't need to worry about that. Ben and Illeum would rather die than hit any of us here." He affirmed.

Harry had seemed to calm down again, and Beatrix took him this time from Cerebella. She had been consoling Harry... and Beatrix wanted to hold him again. Although the annoyed look on Cerebella's face clearly said 'You got to hold him all night.' but Beatrix didn't much care. 'Still, don't anger Illeum or Ben, or... maybe just don't piss people off here.' The magician thought. They were already doing more than could be expected from ANYONE to help them... Add to that the fact that it seemed like most of the people here weren't exactly helpless... It should've felt concerning, but in a weird way, she was thankful.

They were in a place where not only they, but potentially everybody could fight off the Medicis if they were found. Yes... This place was their safe haven... And she would do anything to keep it that way until further notice.

On the topic of the Medicis, Beatrix had to wonder how the others at the circus would react to finding out they were gone. Hubrecht and Regina would probably miss Harry and Cerebella... she didn't know how they felt about her. She hadn't really talked much with Hubrecht, and she respected Regina enough to do her best to not let her past rivalry with Cerebella affect her work too much.

Would Regina miss her? She was her mentor, but they never were particularly close to one another... Also, Talliesin would miss all three of them. After all, with them gone, his personal source of eye candy was gone...

God she hated Talliesin...

At least... ugh... no... she didn't want to...

'Ugh... fine.' She mentally relented.

At least Talliesin hadn't ever hurt Harry... Admittedly, he seemed indifferent to him being around, but at least he wasn't part of the larger problem. He was part of A problem, but not THE problem.

Still, she was going to castrate the perverted freak given the opportunity. She had a bad feeling about those puppets of his... She shook her head and focused on her adopted son. The circus was small potatoes compared to her Harry... Smiling softly, she rocked him back and forth in her arms. She would give up everything if it meant keeping her son safe.

The others had settled into eating, as their food schedule had been... weird, for the past month. For Cerebella, Beatrix and Feng, with the constant travelling they didn't always eat at the same time. While Amber and Krystal were adjusting to what they had already accepted as the new normal. They were relieved that Feng and the others were finally away from that dreadful place... but at the cost of harming such a sweet little boy...

Both Amber and Krystal hated that their daughter had found herself in such a bad place in the first place... She needed a job. The Cirques de Cartes was hiring. She got a position, and all went well until the circus went bankrupt. Then the Medicis came and sponsored them, and Feng was stuck under their thumb under threat of their deaths...

And now it seemed like some sort of guardian angel who had been passed out drunk for the past six or seven years finally woke up with the worst hangover imaginable, and realized what had happened. There was a real sense of relief in the family now, even if they lost their bakery, they could just open another someday. Right now, their daughters were safe, and their grandson was safe. "Not to sound mean, but who are you most attached to right now?" Amber asked jokingly.

"Harry." Krystal immediately replied.

"Same."

Both women felt awkward about saying that. "Is that bad...?" Amber asked. "I mean... I dunno, Feng and Cerebella are our daughters and all..."

"No, no... They're adults who can take care of themselves. Harry is a little boy that needs to be protected." Krystal replied.

"Oh... Okay, that makes sense! And we are new grandparents, so... I guess it's the whole novelty of it too, right?"

"Yes. Exactly that." Krystal nodded with a smirk. "And besides, Harry's the kind of sweet little baby we wished Feng was sometimes."

"Well yes... but I think that has to do with how he was raised..." Amber frowned.

"Wait, you think-"

"What?! No! Cerebella could never hurt someone as small as him. But.. you heard about where she found him."

Krystal blinked, then looked over at Harry. "Hmm... If that's true... I'll have a lot more to discuss with him than I thought..."

"The poor baby..." Amber whined softly. "If he really was abused before Bella took him in, then... Then..."

"Then he's more traumatized than we could ever realize..." Krystal finished her wife's sentence for her.

Unfortunately, while neither wanted to admit to it, they knew they were right. Due to her profession, Krystal could tell when someone was hiding something, and more often than not, she could tell what they were hiding. Little Harry was hiding ALL the signs of an abusive family, and Krystal refused to believe for even a second that Feng, Cerebella, or even Beatrix would hurt the boy. As for Amber, she had known Krystal long enough to know what she was feeling, and she guessed the reasoning.

Both women watched the small ragtag family of four interact with one another, smiling sadly at were a very unique bunch, each one different in various ways, from personality to nationality. Yet they all clicked with one another perfectly. It warmed their heart to see circumstance bring together a truly beautiful family.

Halfway across town, Dahlia was finishing closing up. She was the kind of woman who was prepared for almost any contingency, and as such, she had multiple small 'bases' you could call them, across town. She knew that it was a matter of time before blood was spilt, and the Medici's were powerless to stop it. Still, there was nothing left for her in this town. So why leave anything behind?

She heard footsteps behind her. Mechanical footsteps. She didn't even bother to turn around. She knew who it was. "So you found me." She said simply. "Not that it really matters. You know you're nothing compared to me, Ottomo."

"Au contraire, madame. My creator has worked hard to upgrade me. And we know who is responsible for the boy going missing."

"Mm." Dahlia replied flatly. "So, you came out here to say something obvious before your death?"

"Dahlia, you're unarmed and we both know you couldn't possibly pose a threat with my upgrades. So why don't you tell me where the boy is and maybe Vitale will let you live."

"...I'm surprised really." Dahlia flatly replied. "I knew you'd kiss his ass for whatever reason, but I never imagined you to be someone who'd be fine with a kid being killed."

"With all they've done, do you really think Harry would be the first child who died because of Vitale's actions?" The cyber-henchman replied coldly. Dahlia saw a figure over his shoulder on a rooftop and shook her head. This just seemed to annoy Ottomo more.

"Hmph. So you really think you have what it takes to beat me? Do you think I'm nothing more than a one trick pony who only knows how to point a gun at people?"

"I understand you're entirely capable of fighting hand to hand. But the fact is, gunplay is your specialty." Ottomo replied.

Dahlia smirked. "How little you know me... I'll trash you first, then crush the mouthy little toad controlling you."

"I'd like to see you tr-"

That was as far as he got. Dahlia put her fist through the robot's head, then pulled back, ripping a mess of wires, circuts and parts out as she did so. She didn't feel angry, she didn't feel frightened, she was bored, more than anything. It was always the same routine, someone believed they could kill her, she proved them wrong, rinse and repeat. Spinning the machine around, Dahlia twisted one of the cybernetic arms at an unnatural angle, put a foot on the robot's back, and proceeded to rip the arm off.

Ottomo began to glitch out, stammering and stuttering his speech to the point where what he was saying was incomprehensible. Dahlia snorted. "You're really the best the Medici mafia have to offer once I've retired? How sad." She said before pulling out Tom the Dagonian, who thrashed around in her grip.

"Aw, come on, D, whattya doin'?! You're the baddest bitch I ever met in my life! Ya don'r care about no one, not even yourself! Why're ya turnin' your back on everything cuz of one kid?!"

"The way I see it, everything that's about to happen was because of you." She replied coldly. "I walked away from it all, I was done. But YOU decided to show up and try to threaten me. You're right about one thing. I don't care. I don't care what happens to you, or the Medicis or anyone really." She didn't say anything, then added: "Good-bye Tom."

"No wai-" Tom shouted before Dahlia threw him out the window. Without warning, what appeared to be a bullet shot thought the air, killing the small Draconian. She paused, then saw her phone buzz.

She pulled out her phone and read the ensuing text message. It was from one of her girls. Eyes narrowed, she read it.

'They're taking everything out on the squad! They're hurting their families! Judy's son was held at gunpoint the other day! What do we do?!'

Dahlia's eyes narrowed. Those girls were under her tutelage. No one was allowed to hurt her students...

'We end this. Tonight.'

'Finally!' The response came. 'Listen, do you want to get the two in on it?'

'What?'

'Weight girl and that witch chick. They ruined their lives. Should we let them finish it once we're done?'

Dahlia remained silent. Should Cerebella and Beatrix be brought back into this? They had been through a lot thus far. But if the Medicis were threatening her students...

'If you can get them down to a point where they can't hurt them, we'll make the offer.'

She rose to her feet and glowered over Ottomo's remains. "This has been a long time coming, really..." Calmly, she walked out the door, readying her gun arm. She was more than ready for this. It was time to atone... Tonight, the Medici mafia was going to be destroyed by the very woman that made it what it was. It was deliciously ironic.

'You got the old guy? Or the other asshole?' A message appeared. 'U need me to draw them out? Or do u need me to break one o them?'

'No. Keep hidden, I think you'll be needed afterwards to help.'

'Gotcha. Oh, BTW don't forget. DESTROY. THIS. PHONE.'

There was a pause, then:

'Sorry, thought I was writing a note there...'

Dahlia shook her head. While one might assume on a night that was driven by revenge, the clouds would be pouring cold as ice rain down upon the streets, and that the wind would seem to scream in fear of what was coming, everything was quiet. The colours all seemed a little... Mute. But the night was just, still.

She shrugged her shoulders and made her way down the street as she considered her life up to this point. She was born to a wealthy family, and was expected to perform outstanding achievements for the sake of upholding the family name. She waa mediocre at best at everything they expected of her. And she found the rich girl life so dreadfully boring.

Now, one might say that becoming a hired thug for a third-rate mafia family wasn't much better, but she felt... alive, in a weird way. There were challenges, she felt like she was actually good at something, and she was passing that along to her students. She had met interesting people during this job. Granted, she hated most of them, but it was still something.

But what had it really done for her though? She had commited unspeakable atrocities for their sake... As she reflected on her time with the Medicis, she felt a very ugly feeling welling up inside her. She knew what it was. Guilt. Guilt for torturing people. Guilt for assisting in slave trading. Guilt for chopping up the Fishbone Gang. Guilt for slaughtering the Contiello family. Guilt, guilt, guilt.

She didn't know why, but she felt the guilt. But... damn it. She felt guilty. She sighed and shook her head as she walked, wondering if this would help with her guilt. Casting a glance up as she walked, she saw a figure running across a rooftop, jumping off a roof and rolling onto another. She recognized the building, it had been where the Contiello family had died. Admittedly, the girl's face in her last moments alive never quite left her..

If there was anything she felt guilty about and couldn't get around, it was her students. She knew that they knew what they were training to do. But now they were being threatened, because of her. She had effectively asked Judy to do what she did, and now the only person she could rely on to fix this was another fixer who she was 'friends' (she used that term VERY loosely) with one day and wanted to kill the next.

But right now, all she wanted was to burn the damn place to the ground, kill the Medicis, and move on with her life.

She blinked at that thought. The circus... Regina... She still didn't know what became of her star attraction, or two of her best acts. She needed to know the truth...

She shook her head. She would talk to Regina later. Right now, she focused on following the figure.

Once she reached the outskirts of the circus, she checked her phone.

'Back left trailer. They're pissed about something, armed too. Sorry, I thought this would be a challenge for you ;)'

While she hated his care-free personality, and his almost slacker outlook on killing people, she had to admit, every now and then he could make her smile slightly. She looked at her guns, making sure they were all loaded, cocked ready to go.

Her eyes narrowed, she gathered her weaponry to prepare for the massacre of yet another family line. Only this time, it was the one that deserved to be wiped off the face of the earth. It was time to silence the Medicis. Quite frankly, she had wanted to do this for years. She knew very well that both Lorenzo and Vitale liked to eye her up.

Satisfied that her weapons were ready, she made her way through the shadows cast by the tents and trailers, as she slipped past a clearing where some of the employees would rest when not working, she saw Hubrecht and Talliesin sitting near a lantern, both drinking... something.

"So... what do you think happened?" Hubrecht asked, clearly somewhat intoxicated, which was odd, because he was drinking cream soda. Most likely Talliesin slipped alcohol into his drink.

"I don't know. My regret is that I never told Mistress Cerebella and Beatrix how I really felt..." Talliesin replied, clearly having drank more than Hubrecht.

"Aww, that's not true, Talliesin! You told them how you felt every day! Like you told Cerebella her chest was amazing or Beatrix had a nice butt or Feng had a boyish charm to her! I don't think they appreciated it though... In fact, I think they hated you for it."

"Hatred is the beginning of love my dear Hubrecht..."

Hubrecht laughed. "Aww, I don't think so! You have to like someone first! Besides, they're with each other, remember?"

"Yes. That's even better. I can get into a three-way." Talliesin said with a grin. Hubrecht frowned at him.

"You shouldn't pursure relationships just for the sake of...that." He said sternly. "Love is the most important part by far!"

Dahlia shook her head and kept moving. That was something she never expected to see or hear... but then again, barely anything made sense anymore. She passed by Regina's trailer, and overheard her talking to... someone. "I don't get it... they were supposed to be home a few days ago! And then Harry disappeared... what do you want me to say?!"

"Did'ja ask the boss?" Some random, presumably unnamed and unimportant co-worker asked.

"I tried, they said Harry was staying with them, and suddenly they got really aggressive over the past few days. They also seem... scared, I guess. Maybe paranoid."

Dahlia wasted no time. She got a vantage point from the window. It was those two creeps, Lawrence and Riccardo. Oh how she despised them both. They were perverse lowlives, much like Talliesin, only none of his talent. And Riccardo liked minors. Not acceptable in her eyes. That was why she felt nothing but satisfaction when she put a bullet between each of their eyes through the window.

'Ouch XP' Appeared on her phone. 'Still. Deserved it.'

Regina was shocked, but if there was one thing about the woman Dahlia admired, it was her ability to maintain her composure no matter the situation.

"Dahlia?"

She frowned at the beast master and crossed her arms over her breasts. "I take it you want to know where Cerebella is then."

"And Feng, Beatrix and Harry. ...Harry was not treated well by Vitale, was he?" Dahlia blinked, then chuckled.

"Perceptive as ever I see. Well, yes... They harmed him quite severely... He's with his mothers now, but where they are, I can't say."

"Right, why are you here?" Regina asked, sighing slightly, believing to already know the answer.

"This has to end. If something isn't done now, then they'll find them eventually, and they'll kill them. That's what they were after. They were going to rip Harry apart for his magic." She paused, taking in the horror in Regina's eyes. She clearly hadn't expected... THAT. "I'm saying this in all sincerity. Walk away, go back to your trailer, or your lions, and don't look back. After tonight, you're in charge." Regina didn't reply, she seemed defiant, but also understanding. But it was clear above all, she didn't like this.

Wordlessly, the ringleader turned and walked back to her tent, where her lions were enjoying a hearty lunch of fresh steak. She stroked one of their manes with a soft sigh and looked back outside the tent, thinking of the things to come. "Things are going to change greatly... I hope the circus will still be standing when all is said and done..." She said softly.

"Mm. Probably will, the Medic's never really hid their money well." A voice suddenly spoke. Regina whirled around but saw no one.

"Who...'" She scowled.

"Under. The. Trailer. Tons of it." The voice spoke again, then seemed to disappear.

Dahlia made her way across the rooftops. She kept herself to the shadows the best she could as she scoped out her target. She found the Medici building. And nearby, a secret hideaway made for her and her ladies. One of them peeked out so subtly, anyone without her eagle eyes would have missed it. Leaping down from the rooftop, she rushed off to meet up with the girls she had trained for years, hurrying down the trapdoor.

"Who's here?" She whispered.

"Charlie, Cinder, Emerald, Lucy and Monika." One of her students replied quietly.

"And Judy?"

"Safe. She and her kid are at a safe house. Vivian, Kat and that guy you introduced us to are keeping watch over them. No one will get within two miles without them knowing." Charlie answered.

"Good." Dahlia nodded, before looking to the group. "Despite what they've done to us, don't go for lethal strikes at first. If you can avoid being seen, that's preferable. If the guards see you and you can't subdue them, take them out."

"What about Lorenzo and Vitale?"

"They're mine. Once I get to their room, if I haven't returned within five minutes, cut and run. And I don't mean to the school, get out of the city and NEVER look back. Never contact one another, and never let your guard down."

The group all nodded.

With the plan set, the women set to work. Stealthily, they all emerged from their hideout and began the end of the Medici mafia.

One shot with a tranquilizer gun was all it took to dispose of the doormen. Once in, they split up to cover as much ground as possible. Dahlia knew where she was going. She wasted no time and made her way to Lorenzo's office, ready to end his worthless life.

Some would think this was a vendetta mission, others might thing she was doing this for pleasure. But to Dahlia? She didn't know. She hated the Medici's, but this didn't feel like revenge. It felt like...

"Screw it." She muttered, kicking the doors open to his office. Lorenzo was currently in the middle of some sort of panic, and it was clear he had seen better days. He spun to see who was in his office, and his face was a mixture of anger and fear.

"You...You traitourous, backstabbing bitch! We gave you everything you wanted and this is how you repay us?!" Dahlia wasn't moved, and she shot him in the kneecap without a single word. He screamed and collapsed to the floor. Dahlia approached him and stomped on the wound in his leg, grinding her heel into it to add as much agony as she could.

"No, you never gave me anything." Dahlia replied coldly. "Without ME, YOU would be a senile old man clawing for some sort semblance of reason in your life. YOU would go to the grave and no one would remember who you were. I am the one who built this whole organization to what it is, and YOU decided to burn it to the ground." She grabbed the old man and pulled him up, her cold, almost icy anger-filled eyes borrowing into his.

"I don't care about what you do, I never cared about who you killed, but then you threatened my students. You stabbed the woman who called your son 'father' in the back, you figured that once you were done with them you could throw them away and not face any repercussions. But as another fixer I know annoyingly puts it... Karma's gonna come collect your debt." She finished.

Lorenzo snarled in her face. "You're...You're nothing but a pawn... A piece of machinery! I am your master! You're supposed to obey me and me alone!" Dahlia rolled her eyes and chopped the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious. She knew two people who would want to dispose of him... Stuffing the unconscious head of the mafia in a sack, she carried him off to search for his wretched son.

There was the faintest sound, and Dahlia didn't look back, sensing one of her students next to her. "The guards are dealt with. They all fell easily." Lucy said quietly. "Vitale is in the computer room, down the hall, right, half way down that hall, left, and then fourth door." Dahlia nodded. She briefly considered asking Lucy to take the unconscious Lorenzo to the vehicle where her fellow assassin was supposed to be, but the thought of Lorenzo waking up and hurting her, no matter how small the odds, stopped her from doing so.

"Good, get the others and get out. This will be over quickly." She ordered.

"But Miss Dahlia-" Lucy protested.

"I've trained you all to a point where the best way to learn is through experience. We WILL meet again, make sure Judy is okay, then go to the rendezvous."

"...Understood. In case I don't see you again... Thank you for everything, ma'am. Goodbye." And with that, Lucy rushed off, leaving Dahlia alone with Lorenzo. The cyborg exhaled through her nose and made her way to the computer room. Honestly, this worked out perfectly. The computer room contained invaluable information pertaining to the Medici's activities. She could send off all this evidence to the princess, and the remaining Medicis would be arrested.

She kicked the door to the computer room open and didn't hesitate. She fired three shots at Vitale, hitting him in the arm, the leg, and the kneecap. She took a small amount of satisfaction watching him fall to the ground and cry out in agony. As much as she wanted to rip his spine and skull out and take it like a morbid trophy, she knew that 1.) that wasn't her style, and b.) Cerebella would want to be the one who dealt with him, after the years of lying, and the near murder of her son... It was oddly fitting.

With a chop to his neck, Vitale was unconscious. With that, Dahlia sat down at the computer and collected all the needed information. With a simple press of a button, the Medicis dirty laundry was aired all across the Canopy Kingdom for all to see. That was all it would take. With these dirty secrets revealed, the Medici mafia was destined to crumble to the ground.

She wondered if she should set fire to this building for good measure... No. She needed to finish this first. She dragged the pair through the building and back outside. In a matter of moments, a car shot up and screeched to a halt. Charlie and the red-haired fixer whose name she hadn't bothered to learn got out. They looked from Dahlia, down to the unconscious bodies, and the fixer grinned in a mixture of surprise and wicked enjoyment. "Go." The fixer said simply. "I'mma torch the place." Charlie looked nervously to Dahlia, who nodded.

"Have fun." She remarked stuffing the two older men into the trunk and slamming it shut.

"Miss Dahlia? Do you know where you need to go?"

Dahlia smirked and tapped a device in her shoulder. "I implanted a tracking device in everyone I've taught. And I've taught Cerebella."

Charlie nodded her head before blinking as she caught on to what Dahlia said. "Wait, do you mean...?"

"Yes, that does include you." Charlie let out a timid 'Eep...' and hid her face behind her long blonde hair.

"Charlotte, I did that to ensure that if anything happened, I would be able to find you to help." Dahlia stated calmly, ignoring the attempted suppressed laughter coming from behind her. "Still, once this is done, I can remove it if that would help you."

"No Mistress, I just... I didn't know." Charlie admitted sheepishly.

"You weren't supposed to." Dahlia said plainly. "Now come, we need to get moving. We're not finished yet." The two women got into the car, Dahlia pausing, as if trying to either remember something or listen for something. After a few moments, she was satisfied that the Medicis were still unconscious. Out of the corner of the mirror, she could see the Medici crime building, and one of the sides was clearly going up in flames. "Good riddance." She muttered.

The building was burning, and with most of the goons inside unconscious, it was very likely there would be many casualties. Not that it mattered. Those left inside deserved it. Looking over, Dahlia saw a group of unconscious goons. Good. Those were the decent ones that were stuck with the Medicis due to things out of their control.

"...Mistress Dahlia, are they going to come after us? Like they did Judy?" Charlie asked after a few moments of silence. Dahlia mentally sighed, Charlie was always the kindest of her students. She was willing to kill if need be and had no issue with it, but the girl didn't have much family, so she tended to live alone. Her fear made sense really.

"The Medicis are done for." She simply stated, confidence clear in her voice. "That building had the last of the loyal followers. You and the girls will be fine, there's no one left to come after you. Before you ask, if he comes for you, he knows that I will make him suffer." Charlie nodded in understanding.

Dahlia looked back at the burning headquarters one last time. It was rather anticlimactic how easily they had gone down, really. Shaking her head, she focused forward on the road in front of her as the vehicle began to move. Already she could hear sirens. She hoped they could evade the authorities. She really didn't want to deal with the headache of knocking out cops...

She leaned back in the seat, trying to seem as casual as possible. She didn't want to think about it, fearing that thinking about it would make her seem like she was hiding something, and that would lead to another problem, and then...

WeWowWeWow...

She barely noticed the police cars race past her. She shook her head to clear it then realized what had happened. Okay they hadn't noticed her. Good. When she was done, she'd have to get rid of this vehicle.

"Who's vehicle is this?" She asked. Charlie blinked, then shrugged. Oh well, one thing she WOULDN'T feel guilt about she supposed.

Tapping the device on her shoulder, she homed in on Cerebella's location. She pointed out the proper directions as Charlie drove.

Back at Lab 8, Cerebella and Beatrix were playing with Harry. Sitting on the floor, they were playing with the boy's toys with him. It was a rather childish thing to do, Beatrix would fully admit... But it made her son happy, so she was willing to throw away a little piece of her dignity.

Moreover, it seemed to be helpful for Harry, as it was taking his mind off of what had happened recently, and the women would give up all their dignity if that's what it took. Harry was keeping the stuffed Owl Feng had given him close. It seemed to be the one thing he really liked, more than the other things. They didn't mind, if it was something that made him happy, that was good enough for them.

And he also kept the clown teddy bear Cerebella had got him close as well, much to the busty brawler's liking.

The three of them were playing some random game where the toys just interacted and talked to one another. Harry pushed the little story forward while his parents just went along with whatever silly little scenario his mind came up with.

He was surpassingly creative, Cerebella wondered if someday he'd be a writer of some sort. She actually thought that'd be something he enjoyed. Still, she wanted to enjoy as much time as she could with him as small as he was. He was such a sweet little boy, and he was clearly trying his best to not let what happened effect him.

Though she could tell his smiles and laughs were strained. It was clear to her that he was affected deeply despite his best efforts. Smiling sadly, she just focused her attention on the game. Suddenly, something in her ear began to ring. "What the-? Why's there a weird beeping sound in my ear...?" The acrobat tapped the side of her head, unaware of the tracking device behind her ear.

"You okay Cere?" Beatrix asked, looking to her. She paused for a moment, and Cerebella shook her head.

"Yeah, I guess just... I think there was ringing in my ear for some reason." Cerebella answered, Beatrix looked at her with obvious confusion.

"Uh, huh." The magician blinked. "Weird."

They were silent for a moment. "D'you want me to try and take a look at it? It might be something major..."

Cerebella chuckled. "Never took you as the mother hen type, Trixie. It's fine. Just a little bit of ringing. Nothing I can't handle!"

Beatrix frowned. "...I'd really feel better if you'd let me look at it. I have a really bad feeling about this."

"Ugh... fine." Cerebella muttered, letting Beatrix come over and look. The magician seemed to be deep in thought for a minute, then her eyes widened in terror.

"Shitshitshitshitshit..." She cursed under her breath, finding a small device beeping just behind Cerebella's ear.

"What?! What's wrong?!"

"I think they know where we are." Beatrix said quietly.

Cerebella tensed up. "What?! What do you mean?!" She demanded urgently. Beatrix pointed to her head.

"It's a tracking device! Someone's tracking you! If they come here..." Both women fell silent at the thought.

Harry began to tremble violently. "M-Mommy...? Mama...?" He whimpered softly, his terror clear in his voice.

The two women went silent, unsure of what to say to their son. Did the Medicis know were they were!? When did anyone manage to plant that on her?! Cerebella felt her chest tightening, as if she was threatening to pass out, the colour draining from her face. She couldn't move as she felt her phone buzz, they... they were coming... Oh God... Beatrix slowly took Cerebella's phone, expecting either a message full of cursing or threats, or something trying to act like they cared. She wasn't expecting what she got.

'U don't know me. But a friend of ours has something to help you. Our mentor is coming, don't worry tho you're safe.'

Mentor? What? Who was this?!

She typed in the question hurriedly and sent the note in a panic, anxiously awaiting a response from the sender. The thirty seconds it took to get a reply felt like thirty minutes, and Beatrix became aware that she was holding her breath the whole time.

She read the text. 'I won't beat around the bush. Black Dahlia dealt with everything for you. You have nothing to be afraid of.'

'Dahlia?' Beatrix thought. 'What was she doing?' She sent another message and waited, her eyes widening in shock when she saw the response.

'Drinks will flow and blood will spill, when the boys are out of town.'

"Cerebella, I need to talk to you." Beatrix said, pulling on Cerebella's arm, getting her attention. "Feng, can you hold on to Harry? Everything's alright, we'll be back in a minute." Feng nodded and picked Harry up, who almost immediately tried to get closer in fear, afraid he had done something.

Feng cuddled him close, rocking him back and forth as she gently shushed him, stroking his back soothingly. Smiling, both of Harry's adoptive mothers left the room to find privacy. They stood in the hallway and Cerebella faced Beatrix. "Okay, Trixie... What's going on here?" Cerebella asked seriously. "Are we gonna have to gear up for a fight or what?"

"...I don't know." She shook her head, handing Cerebella her phone back. "Apparently Dahlia... finished something, and needs to talk to us."

"Do you trust her?" Cerebella asked, quietly reading over the messages. "I mean, this FEELS like a trap..."

"Yeah, but she did save Harry. I think, I mean. I think maybe, I dunno..." The two remained silent, thinking it over. Finally, Cerebella broke the silence.

"What does she want? And what's with the 'blood will spill' part? Is she warning us? Or is she going to war?"

"I don't know, Cerebella, but whatever it is, Harry cannot get involved in it at all. He's had enough already..."

Both women were silent before Cerebella spoke up. "We should meet up with her... I feel like we can trust her..."

"Are you sure? She's always got a serious kick out of her job... I have a weird feeling, and I don't know if meeting her is the best idea..."

"Look, even if she's just here to tell us to piss off, we need to close the book on this. We meet with her, we tell her to never return, we go." Cerebella sighed, clearly not liking this herself.

"And what? You want us to bring Harry with us?"

"NO!" Cerebella snapped, the anger suddenly rising full force briefly. "No... sorry. Feng, Krystal and Amber can take care of him. This should only take like, less than an hour."

Both women looked at each other before hugging one another tightly. "If she tries to hurt you, I'll crush her..." Cerebella promised.

"Likewise..." Beatrix whispered back, tearing up slightly. "I just want this whole thing behind us sooner than later..." Both women looked into each other's eyes before leaning forward and kissing each other passionately.

The two didn't exactly like the conversations that followed. Feng of course agreed to watch Harry, but didn't like how quiet the two were being over what was happening. Beatrix didn't answer her questions and Cerebella kept assuring her that everything was okay. They knew they could tell Feng the truth eventually, but they didn't like lying to Harry. Still, this was to protect him, so it wasn't exactly bad, right?

Moral issues aside, the two found themselves on the road, having borrowed a vehicle from the lab, driving for about twenty minutes, before coming to an old worn-out park. It was a decent way off the road, and there wasn't anything for a good two miles, the only things of note being an old bench, and the cliff that said bench looked out over.

They sat down on the bench, neither one of them knowing what to say or do, their anxiety almost overwhelming. They heard the sound of a car pulling up, and they subtly prepared for battle. Cerebella placed Vice-Versa atop her head, while Beatrix clutched at one of her knives. They turned to watch as Dahlia stepped out of the vehicle. She looked at them, nodded, then pulled something out of the trunk... A moving sack, with two very familiar voices coming from it.

"What the hell did you do?!" Beatrix asked in shock. Dahlia didn't respond, ripping the bags apart, dumping Vitale and Lorenzo bleeding and broken onto the ground. The men were angry, but the anger turned to shock when they looked up.

Cerebella looked down, her face expressionless, while Beatrix just seemed pissed.

"This ends now. One way or another." Dahlia stated. "Their crimes are exposed, everyone knows what they've done over the years. Their hideout is burning to the ground as we speak, but we figured you should make the call on what happens to these two."

Beatrix shook violently as she pulled out one of her knives. "Oh. I know EXACTLY what to do with these PIECES OF SHIT." She snarled through gritted teeth. Then she plunged her knife into Lorenzo's leg, relishing in his screams of agony. "Yeah... Yeah, that hurts, doesn't it?!" She stomped on the wound she caused and grabbed the old man by the collar of his shirt, holding him up to eye level and glaring viciously into his eyes. "You expected to get away with it? You thought you'd try to kill our son and we would be none the god damn wiser?!"

"Admittedly, they are that stupid." Charlie shrugged.

"..." Cerebella remained silent, Beatrix threw Lorenzo into the car door and violently stomped his face, cracking his jaw and nose, sending blood and teeth flying.

"If you don't want to kill them, then I will." Dahlia stated, looking to Cerebella. "I understand you... believed they cared about you. So, a friend of ours suggested we let you decide their fate. If you can't kill them, they won't be leaving here alive regardless."

"I'll F**kin' kill them!" Beatrix shouted, continuing to shatter bones left and right. Her dark magic was usually calm and controlled, but right now, after seeing the ones who nearly killed your son? Yeah, screw that. She was fighitng with an almost demonic power mixed with maternal fury flowing through her.

"STOP! STOP THIS! I ORDER YOU TO STOP RIGHT NOW!" Lorenzo yelped out pathetically, trying to regain some sense of control.

"YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO ORDER ME, YOU GOD DAMN DIRTBAG! YOU HURT MY KID...SO YOU'RE A DEAD MAN!" Beatrix roared back, plunging a knife into the man's hand. Then his ribcage... Then his chest. Repeatedly. Lorenzo Medici died choking on his own blood.

Cerebella, meanwhile, stared blankly at Vitale, betraying no emotion to the man she once called a father. "C-Cerebella... Let's not do anything you'll regret now..."

"Regret?" Cerebella said softly, the word made everyone freeze, Beatrix felt like the temperature just dropped by fifty degrees, Charlie backed away, terrifed of what was coming, and even Dahlia blinked in shock, never having seen Cerebella like this before. "I trusted you. You were my father, I never questioned you, never questioned anything you asked me to do. I loved you. The only thing I regret is believing you, believing the lies you fed me every day of my life. I regret listening to you, and I regret calling you my father."

"...holy crap." Dahlia breathed. She had never expected Cerebella to be this... cold.

"...What really happened to my parents, Vitale? I know they died. But I wanna know how. Because I think you planned the whole thing. It was about Vice-Versa, wasn't it? You wanted it on your side, so you killed my parents and manipulated me into loving you so you'd have it under your thumb... Is that it?" Vitale was shocked. She had put it all together... He was so certain she would never question him... His silence told Cerebella everything. "I did awful things for you. I hurt people that insulted you. I did everything to earn your attention. And all this time, you didn't even care about me at all."

"T..that's not true! Cere... I..." Vitale sputtered, terrifed of what he believed was coming next.

"Bullshit!" Someone shouted.

Vice-Versa was growing somewhat, but Cerebella motioned for her hat to wait. Cerebella sighed, shaking her head.

"And... and the worst part is, I... I could've and probably would've forgiven you. But... you... HURT... MY... SON... AND I'M GONNA FU*KING KILL YOU!"

And with that, Vice-Versa reached down and grabbed Vitale. He grunted and struggled to escape as the pressure slowly increased. "B-Bella! Don't do this! Please let me go! I took you in! You owe me! YOU OWE ME!" He yelled in desperation. Cerebella just glared coldly at him. Without a word, she mentally commanded Vice-Versa to crush at full force. Upon hearing the silence, Vice-Versa unclenched its fists to reveal nothing. She had crushed every fibre of Vitale's being until absolutely nothing was left.

"Damn, I honestly wasn't expecting... that." Dahlia admitted surprised, only to see Beatrix turn her blades to her. "That, is a very bad idea."

"Beatrix..." Cerebella slowly spoke.

"You. Were. Part. Of. It." She seethed through her teeth. Dahlia however, maintained her emotionless expression.

"I'm also the only reason Harry isn't dead, and if that had happened, you wouldn't have known. You probably wouldn't ever find a BODY." Dahlia replied, her tone cold, but also somewhat angered. "Believe me, I wanted to do that more than anyone, but we're done. Never try and contact me again, and don't contact anyone at the circus for a time."

Beatrix snorted and put her knife away, knowing fighting Dahlia would be suicide. She scowled over at Lorenzo, who had bled out, and spat on the corpse. "So much for eternal life, huh, you god damn son of a bitch?" She growled as Dahlia quietly walked away. Then she heard a sound she detested. The sound of her loved one crying. This time not Harry, but Cerebella.

Beatrix slowly walked over to her, and slowly wrapped her arms around her. She genuinely didn't know what to say right now, her girlfriend had just lost almost everything. Sure she had Feng, Feng's parents, Harry and her, but these were the people she trusted, the people she saw as her parents... and she had to kill them. Good freakin' riddance to them and all, but that didn't make this any easier for Cerebella to process.

She knelt down as Cerebella collapsed to her knees, sobbing violently from the emotional turmoil. Beatrix rubbed her back in a soothing manner. "It's okay... It's okay..." The magician whispered softly. Cerebella was tightly clinging to her girlfriend as if she was her last lifeline. They didn't know how long they had been there. But when Cerebella finally regained her composure, the sun was beginning to set.

Cerebella had remained silent, aside from her tears, but she turned and looked back to where Dahlia was, and surpassingly saw her still there. "Thank you." She finally spoke. "For everything." Dahlia nodded in response, she didn't want to do this then just disappear, but she knew now that the sun was setting, it was time to go.

"This is good-bye." The cybernetic assassin stated. "You'll be safe now. The Medici Mafia can't regroup after this, those that remain will run, or be dealt with. But they'll know better than to come after you." Cerebella nodded, feeling... free. Feeling like that for the first time in her life, she was... free. She had her girlfriend, she had her parents, she had her son...

"Mistress? What are we going to do with them?" Charlie quietly asked, looking to the trunk where the bodies were.

"They'll be dealt with." She remarked sending a message to a clear she knew. "But we need to destroy the vehicle." Charlie nodded before pausing, as if hearing something. She took her phone out and passed it to Dahlia.

'It's done' was all the message said. Followed by: 'Also, where's my car?'

Dahlia shot the gas tank, and the car promptly exploded with the corpse of Lorenzo inside the trunk.

Casually, she sent the reply text. 'Blew it the f*ck up.' She received a reply almost instantly and chuckled to herself.

'The hell, girl?! That was a birthday gift! You owe me a new car! If you don't pony up, you're not invited to my birthday!'

'Fine, your parties are boring anyways.'

'...okay, that's just mean. You're mean. Y'know that?.' There was silence then 'was it a good explosion?'

'Yes.' Dahlia shook her head. Sometimes this job... sometimes this job was just plain weird. And that was coming from a bionic woman who killed people under the orders of some Corleone family wannabes. "It's time we get going." Dahlia said, looking to Charlie who blinked at the flaming wreckage, then nodded.

"Sounds good to me! Uh... Bye!" Charlie waved to the two other women with an awkward smile before rushing into the vehicle. Shaking her head, Dahlia followed close behind, looking back at Cerebella and Beatrix for the last time.

"Life is going to be different. Very, very different..." She mused to herself before stepping into the vehicle.

The two women remained where they were for another thirty minutes. Finally, Beatrix heard something, and she had assumed it had been either the explosion, or some sort of auditory hallucination. She picked up her phone and her heart sank. There were about ten missed calls and fourteen unread messages. Scanning through them, they all made sense.

'You okay?'

'where are u 2?'

'Seriously, what happened!?'

'Harry's getting worried, plz respond.'

Beatrix sighed, feeling guilty somewhat, and called Feng. The phone rang a few times and Feng's panicked voice was heard on the other end.

"Seriously! Where are you two!?" She hissed.

"Is Harry okay?" Beatrix immediately asked, and Feng paused, dumbfounded.

"Yeah, yeah the little sweetie's fine. My mom's have been taking care of him, he seems happy, but he misses you."

"That's good, we're on ou-"

"Are you okay?!" Feng cut her off. "There was a massive fire, and apparently the Medici hideout was burned to the ground! There's millions in damages, several dead, and all their crimes were leaked to the pubic! Are you okay!?"

"They're dead Feng."

Feng was silent for a moment. "Um... Okay, that's pretty broad... Who's dead...?" She asked tentatively.

"The head honchos themselves. Vitale and Lorenzo. They're dead and gone... Dahlia burned down the headquarters, and..."

"And we killed them." Cerebella intereupted her girlfriend, speaking into the phone. "Beatrix stabbed Lorenzo to death, and I...I just crushed Vitale..."

"Holy shit..." Feng muttered, she went quiet for a few moments, then added: "Okay, I'm thankful my parents aren't here right now..."

"Look, for some reason Dahlia dumped them here and asked if we wanted to deal with them." Cerebella said, her tone still confused and heartbroken. "It... it.. it's done. We're safe now."

"And you really trust Black Dahlia to not stab us in the back?" Feng asked, her tone clearly one of someone not beleiving what they were hearing.

"If she wanted to kill us, she would have done it right here." Cerebella said seriously. "We saw her face to face."

"Okay, how do we know she's not working some kind of angle? She could be up to something bigger than we know!"

"Feng... She destroyed her only source of income. Deep down, I think there is a good person in her somewhere..."

"...And besides that, the Medici's are DEAD." Beatrix cut in, re-voicing the bigger point here. "This isn't some trick either. Feng, we're free."

"Huh." Feng said in a very soft tone, this seeming to dawn on her for the first time. No more traveling, no more hurting people... They were finally free.

The three women took some time to let their situation process. It was really over... They were all safe... And the ones that had hurt Harry had paid the price for their actions... All was as it should be... Cerebella sighed. "We're coming back now... We'll be right there, okay? Tell Harry we're fine and we're coming back for him."

"Yeah... yeah..." Feng nodded before hanging up. The two women sighed, knowing they needed to get back.

Harry meanwhile still felt nervous. It had been about two hours since his parents had left, and he was afraid something had happened. Still, Amber and Krystal had done their best to comfort him, and the others in the lab gave them some space, knowing Harry might not be ready to talk yet.

Harry was sitting snuggled into Krystal's wings, when Feng entered the room with a smile. "They're okay. They're on their way back."

Harry and Amber exhaled in relief. Krystal just smirked. "Told ya they'd be fine. You guys worry too much."

"Hmph! Well, I'm definitely giving them a good scolding when they get back for making me worry about them!" Amber huffed.

"Mom... don't." Feng sighed, shaking her head. Amber was a bit surprised by her daughter's bluntness. "They just... They'll tell you when they're back. But I think Cerebella's going through a lot of stuff right now."

"Is mommy okay?" Harry asked quietly, looking up from the blanket arms he was wrapped up in.

"Yeah, she's okay. They're gonna be okay." Feng smiled.

She took a seat nearby. "We're all gonna be okay... Nothing is gonna hurt us ever again..." She said softly.

Beatrix and Cerebella rode home in silence. Beatrix drove, glancing worriedly at Cerebella every now and again. The acrobat looked numb to the world around her. She just seemed tired and worn out. Beatrix hated it.

But at the same time, their reactions had been drastically different. Beatrix killed Lorenzo in absolute hatred and fury, but Cerebella killed Vitale almost regretfully. As if there was some part of her that desperately didn't want to, and wished she could take it back, regardless of everything that had happened to her.

"...You did the right thing, hun." Beatrix said finally aftet a long silence. No response. "Vitale was no good..."

"...I know..." Cerebella sighed. "But... he was the closest thing to a father I've ever had... For so long, I thought he cared..."

"Yeah... Sometimes people just aren't who you think they are... Bet you thought I was just this awful, spiteful bitch for the longest time for instance." Bestrix said softly.

"Yeah..." Beatrix snorted, trying to stifle a laugh. She was taken aback by how quickly and bluntly Cerebella had answered, and it caught her off guard. Cerebella looked to her with a raised brow.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing, nothing, just a bit funny is all... But that's understandable because I didn't give you any reason to think otherwise."

"And...Vitale never gave me a reason to doubt him because he kept up that phony nice dad act for years..." Cerebella said in realization.

"Exactly!" Beatrix said with a nod. "You're very up front and open about who you are inside. And you expect the same from others too."

"Something you weren't always the best at doing." Cerebella muttered.

"What does that mean?!"

"Well, to be fair, you were always trying to prove yourself, you never showed your caring side for years. It wasn't until I found Harry that you let your guard down."

"Sure, but I didn't have a reason to let my guard down."

Cerebella sighed. "That's the opposite problem I had... You didn't know when to take your guard down... I didn't know when to set mine up."

Both women fell silent at that. "...You thought I really hated you... But at the end of the day... I was just jealous..." Cerebella looked at Beatrix with a frown as the magician continued talking. "You're beautiful, talented, strong, charismatic, and not afraid of who you are... I have a bitchy personality, I depend on magic and my weapons to fight properly, I scared away everyone before you, and... Honestly, I just can't figure out what it is about me that you find physically attractive..."

"I think you're beautiful." Cerebella admitted. "Your smile, and your eyes. It's like with Harry, your eyes have such a life of their own when their not filled with murderous intent and hatred. And besides, it's like I told Feng, I don't care how someone looks as much as I care about who they really are. You could look like Dahlia, or Illeum, hell. You could look like Hubrecht, Ray or Tailiesin but if you were still who you are, I'd still love you."

"Tailisin? Really?" Beatrix asked.

"Okay, no. Not him." Cerebella immediately replied, realizing what she had said.

Beatrix just chuckled softly. "Um... Anything else...?" Cerebella looked thoughtful. Then she smiled.

"There's a lot to go over. Your hair is really nice, and it's super soft too. And you have a very,pretty face..."

Cerebella then gave her girlfriend a large, teasing grin. "And I can say a lot of not so family friendly things about your body."

"Actions speak louder than words..." Beatrix purred. The two froze, remaining silent for about ten seconds. Then they both began laughing. "Oh...I'm...i'm sorry!" Beatrix laughed. "I have no idea why I said that!"

"Yeah. I mean. What?" Cerebella replied.

"Still, it has been a while..." Beatrix said rather timidly. Cerebella looked over at her with a tilted head.

"Wanna make a quick stop somewhere?" Beatrix looked over at her with a deadpan, neutral expression.

"Yes. Yes I do."

One stop near an abandoned gas station later, both women were sweaty, dishevelled and very satisfied.

"Okay, but seriously. We need to go home." Cerebella said, growing somewhat serious. "Harry's probably really scared now, and I doubt Feng told him that they're dead."

"Right. Right." Beatrix nodded. "I wanna hold my son."

"Our son."

"He likes me more."

Cerebella slapped her in the shoulder lightly. "You know that isn't true, he doesn't play favorites." She chided with a pout.

Beatrix laughed softly. "Yeah, that's true, he's a sweetie... All right, let's get back to our kid now..." And she drove off. Both women drove in a comfortable silence through the night, both feeling a lot better from the challenging day they had had.

"So, what do you think made Dahlia turn on them?" Beatrix asked as they drove. "She never gave a crap about anyone, let alone Harry..."

"I really doubt she was after redemption." Cerebella frowned. "I honestly think she was trying to avoid the storm that was coming once we found out what had happened. Maybe she felt bad? But I doubt it. She's always been about her survival."

They both fell silent at that. "But... she just destroyed her own meal ticket..." Beatrix remarked. "She had it made there, and she could have massacred us easily."

"Yeah, but... She... Ugh... I dunno what to think anymore... This entire week has been so damn confusing..."

Beatrix smiled lightly. "Yeah. But hey... the idea that Dahlia of all people could have a softer side is pretty comforting, right?"

"..,I guess?" Cerebella replied. "Just... I dunno."

"That's fair." Beatrix conceded. "You've known her your whole life as an uncaring assassin with cybernetic parts."

"And you were her best friend?"

"What?! No!" Beatrix exclaimed.

Cerebella chuckled at her. "She did train us for a bit. And she taught us well... She was actually pretty patient..."

"Well, I was a teenager when she was teaching me... Wasn't with her too long before Regina took over my training..." Beatrix mused.

"I was about eight when she started teaching me. She was a good teacher, and she never got mad at me..." Cerebella mused.

"Wait. Really?" Beatrix blinked. "She seemed like the kind of teacher who knew nothing BUT anger."

"Actually, she seemed to care for those she was teaching." Cerebella remarked. "She never showed it, but there was this... feeling, I guess, that she actually cared about us to some degree."

"Probably because she didn't want any of you telling the police what she was doing."

"Maybe, but even still, it felt real."

The two women stared at the road ahead, frowning in thought. "I wonder what's gonna happen to her..." Beatrix remarked.

"Well, whatever it is, she'll be fine. She's a strong woman." Cerebella replied with a shrug. The rest of the ride was spent in silence.

Finally, they pulled up in the hidden driveway of Lab 8 and stepped out of the vehicle, ready to ,eet their family.

"C'mon... this is gonna suck." Beatrix muttered. The two women entered the lab, and it was almost eerily quiet. As they walked towards their room, the noted that no one seemed to be around right now. The only person they came into contact with, was Nadia. Who was on her phone with one hand and holding a drink in another.

"Oh, hey. You two okay?" She blinked, looking up when she saw them. "You two were gone like, three hours."

"Yeah, yeah we're okay." Cerebella nodded.

"...look, you two didn't sell us out or something, did you?" Nadia asked with a raised brow. "It'd be a real dick move on your part."

"Nadia..." Beatrix began annoyed but trailed off. "Yeah, that's a fair fear. But we didn't do that. We wouldn't do that to Harry."

Nadia narrowed her eyes at her. "Or the rest of you." Cerebella hurriedly said. "She just has Harry on the brain..."

Nadia frowned, but seemed to accept that answer. Beatrix looked at the feral seriously. "Have you checked the news at all?"

Nadia shook her head. "I don't typically keep up with that stuff, usually too depressing. Why do you ask?"

"Just... I think things will be getting better for us, and for you." Beatrix said, before walking off, now wanting to see her son.

"What?" Nadia frowned, somewhat annoyed at this point.

"They're dead. Vitale and Lorenzo are dead." Cerebella said quietly, and Nadia dropped her phone in shock. Her eyes held a mixture of shock and disbelief, but also as if someone had told her she had just inherited a few million dollars. Cerebella felt weird about Nadia seeming so happy about their deaths, but they had been responsible for killing her gang and literally cutting her to pieces. Wait... had she been part of that!?

She took a seat next to the cat feral to explain what had happenes. "This morning, Trixie and I got a call from Black Dahlia."

Nadia bristled at that. "That cyber bitch... She killed my family... She dead too?" The feral asked in a low voice.

Cerebella shook her head. "Believe it or not, Nadia, she was the one that destroyed their entire operation."

"Are you shitting me?" Nadia said, her eyes and ears narrowing angrily.

"No. She's the only reason Harry is currently alive." Cerebella admitted. She didn't want to talk about her son being tortured, but she really felt like she had no choice now. "I have no idea what her endgame is, but she and some others torched the entire place, she dragged Vitale and Lorenzo out of there, just so we could..." The words caught in her throat they still didn't seem right... "So... so we could kill them."

Nadia's face could probably be best described as 'angry disbelief'. Cerebella knew Nadia had every right to feel that way, and she had every right to hate her until the day Cerebella died.

"She took care of Harry while we were... gone." Cerebella continued. "And she saved him after they wanted to rip his magic out and kill him to make a life gem."

"Oh yeah, the same one THAT BITCH MURDERED MY WHOLE FAMILY FOR!?" Nadia snapped.

"I know! I know..." Cerebella sighed. "I'm not gonna defend her for that... It was sick and messed up... I know that..." She looked at Nadia. "But even still, look at it from my point of view... She's not a good person, but she saved my son's life."

She looked down at the floor. "Just think about it... Imagine you find a little boy in the garbage one day and bring him home to get him off the streets... You take that kid in and basically adopt him... He ends up calling you mommy, and he's officially your son... You...You make a terrible mistake that ends with someone you trusted for years torturing your little boy, and the only reason he's even alive afterwards is because somebody you know has done terrible things to people was protecting him... This woman is the one that saves your son's life... If she hadn't stepped in, your son would have been slowly and horribly tortured to death... So... Despite what she did to you, I...I still have my son thanks to her..."

"Hm. Good for you."

Cerebella felt like she had been stabbed as Nadia pushed past her and kept walking. Beatrix had come back and noticed her pained look, then saw Nadia walking away. She knew almost instantly what had happened, and while on the one hand, she wanted to drag the cat-woman back here and make her apologize, Beatrix knew that Nadia (most likely) had more of a reason to be angry with Cerebella and her than anyone here. Aside from maybe Harry, but the poor little guy couldn't be angry if he tried. Cerebella seemed like she wanted to say something, but remained silent.

"Huh, I haven't seen her that pissed before." Ben remarked, having seen the interaction. At first, Beatrix thought he was here to continue dumping on them, but the look on his face said otherwise.

He sighed and took a seat next to them. "So what have you kids been up to? Been gone a long time."

Cerebella bit her lip and looked down. "Vitale and Lorenzo are dead... We killed them..." Ben was taken aback at that.

"Well... That'll put a damper in Patricia's weekend plans. Heh... The Medicis are toast anyway, aren't they?"

"Yeah." Beatrix nodded. "Thankfully."

"Huh, things are about to get a whole lot more interesting then..." Ben muttered, and Cerebella seemed frightened somewhat.

"How?"

"Well, without their leadership, their idiots will probably all end up behind bars or kill themselves trying to take control or something stupid like that. Not to mention the peace that this town is gonna feel knowing that they don't have to fear being jumped by them. The cops are probably going to lose about half their force..." He paused then added: "And your kid won't have to fear them coming to get him."

"How..."

"Kid had a nightmare while you were gone. Half the lab heard it. You should go to him, he needs you two right now."

Both women exchanged a glance and rushed off to their room, leaving Ben smiling to himself before looking over to the doorway. "Ya can't hang onto that hatred forever, Nadia." After a moment of silence, the cat feral stepped into the room with a frown.

"Tch... They were palling around with the woman that killed my entire family... I think I have the right to be a little miffed."

"What if she saved your kid? Would you be able to hate her then?"

"That's exactly what boobzilla said just a minute ago."

...Hrgh..." Ben muttered. "Just... never mind, you know what I'm going to say, don't you?"

"Yeah. And you should know what I'm going to say." Ben blinked, then decided Nadia needed some space, and headed off to the common area.

Harry was currently snuggled in Feng's arms, listening to her tell him a story, when there was a knock at the door, and Harry visably tensed in apprehensive fear.

The door slowly opened, and Cerebella and Beatrix stepped in, smiling softly. Harry perked up at the sight of them.

"Mommy! Mama! " He exclaimed, happy to see his parents. Both women smiled softly and joined their son and Feng on the bed.

"Hmph! Took you long enough!" Feng huffed. "You were gone all day! Harry really missed you." She scolded lightly.

However, their expressions made the room go quiet, except for Harry, who was just happy to be with his parents again. The two picked him up and hugged him between them. The looked to one another and nodded, knowing they should get this out of the way now. They sat on the bed with him between the two.

"Harry, there's something we need to tell you." Beatrix began slowly, uncertain of how to word this. "Vitale and Lorenzo... they're... they're gone."

Harry looked at his parents with a small frown and tilted his head. "Huh...? Gone...? Gone how...?" He asked softly.

"Well...Gone as in...dead. They're dead, Harry... They can't hurt you anymore." Beatrix said softly, squeezing his hand. They opted to leave out the detail that they had been the ones to kill them. They didn't want to traumatize the boy.

Harry blinked, looking up with a mixture of fear, relief and confusion. It seemed like he had questions, but nothing came out. The two women simply remained where they were, holding their son close and trying to put the memories of the past few days behind them. There should've been a happier feeling, but seeing their son in such a broken state removed and of the victorious feeling one might've felt after killing the Medicis. But neither woman accepted that they had won. They didn't have the life gem, and now they didn't have their lives. Harry was hurt, but he would get better. They were here, and no one could hurt them again.

It was going to be a long road to recovery... Some people would possibly never forgive them for their actions as Medici muscle... But they had Harry. They had their little boy... And their pets... And the rest of their family. It would be a long recovery, but they would get there.

"We love you, Harry..." Cerebella said softly, just for the sake of saying it, before kissing him on the forehead. "And, we will NEVER let anyone hurt you again." she continued, being as earnest as she could. "I know you're scared, and we'll be here every step of the way to help you. I hope you can forgive us, when you're ready."

Harry looked up at the two, then nodded. He knew it wasn't their fault, and he wanted to forgive them, but right now he wanted a hug. He was in the middle of one, so he wasn't gonna complain.

The family sat silent in their embrace for several minutes. They didn't know what was going to happen now...

But they had each other. And that was more than enough for them. Smiling into each other's eyes, Cerebella and Beatrix leaned forward and kissed each other before kissing their son on both of his cheeks.

That was a chapter of their lives over. And time for a new one to begin...

A/N: And so it finally ends. One day, I will expand on this one with sequels using Feng and Dahlia. Until then, thank you for reading.


End file.
